Sep 26, 2026, 06:00 AM UTC

Heavy fighting continues along Ukraine's eastern front, with the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reporting more than 250 combat engagements in a 24-hour period. Intense Russian offensive efforts remain focused near Pokrovsk, Lyman, and Kostiantynivka. North of Kupiansk, Ukrainian infantry advanced along the Oskil River after suppressing Russian drone operations. Reports also indicate potential Ukrainian gains of up to 200 square kilometers near Lyman.

In contrast, Russian defense officials reported capturing several settlements on the approaches to Sumy. Meanwhile, Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov publicly denied claims of Ukrainian tactical successes in the Zaporizhzhia direction.

Off the frontline, Russian overnight attacks involving 138 drones caused civilian casualties. A strike in Kyiv Oblast killed a woman and two children, and another attack hit a monastery in Kherson Oblast, killing a priest.

Sources: NV, Point, Радіо Свобода, The Insider, Українська правда.

Russian forces carried out nearly 60 attacks across five districts in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region over a 24-hour period, according to local emergency services. The artillery and drone strikes resulted in at least five deaths and left 16 people wounded.

In the Kamianske district, three individuals lost their lives while five others sustained injuries. Additional casualties were reported in Pavlohrad, where two people died and seven were hurt. The Nikopol district also faced heavy shelling, causing further injuries and damaging civilian infrastructure. Firefighters and rescue teams deployed across the impacted areas to combat blazes and search through debris as regional authorities evaluated the scope of destruction caused by the bombardments.

Sources: Ziarul de Gardă

United States federal prosecutors have unsealed indictments against five alleged members of a Russian intelligence network accused of directing sabotage operations and targeted assassinations across Europe and North America. According to court filings from the Manhattan federal court, the fugitives recruited operatives to surveil and assault individuals "aligned, or perceived to be aligned, with Ukraine." The charged campaign included a physical attack in Prague in June 2024 as well as wider subversion plans. All five suspects remain at large.

Concurrently, a regional court in Stuttgart, Germany, convicted a Ukrainian national involved in a separate Kremlin-backed parcel bomb scheme. Authorities demonstrated that the conspirators attempted to transport explosives through European logistics channels to destabilize public confidence in security infrastructure.

Sources: BBC News, Cyprus Mail, France24, OCCRP, The Guardian

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated following renewed US air strikes on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first such bombardment in a month. Iranian authorities confirmed six naval personnel were killed in the attack.

Despite the military actions, diplomatic discussions mediated by Qatar continue in an effort to secure a resolution. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi presented Tehran's conditions to US representative Steve Witkoff, demanding an immediate cessation of the US naval blockade, the release of frozen Iranian financial assets, and a complete end to military hostilities across all fronts prior to reopening the strategic waterway.

However, diplomatic progress faces new obstacles after US President Donald Trump insisted that Iran compensate for past regional actions.

Sources: Le Figaro, Le Monde, Le Soir, Libération, RTBF Info.

Cross-border attacks between Russia and Ukraine persisted overnight despite planned visits by U.S. envoys to negotiate peace proposals. Russian strikes across several Ukrainian regions caused casualties in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, while Ukrainian forces targeted a Russian oil refinery and launched drone attacks on Belgorod and Sochi.

The continued fighting follows statements from U.S. President Donald Trump claiming both nations agreed to halt energy infrastructure attacks. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy specified that Kyiv will suspend such strikes only if Western partners guarantee Russia halts attacks on Ukrainian energy, transport, and food supply lines. Meanwhile, European Union officials condemned a Russian strike near the Polish border as an attempt to intimidate European allies.

Sources: Avaz, Beta, CDM, N1, Vijesti