Sep 26, 2026, 06:30 PM UTC

Cross-border attacks between Russia and Ukraine persisted despite ongoing diplomatic discussions and assertions of a temporary pause in targeting major capitals and energy infrastructure. Russian drone and missile strikes hit several Ukrainian regions, including Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, resulting in civilian casualties. Simultaneously, Ukrainian forces reportedly struck another Russian oil refinery along with locations in Sochi and Belgorod.

The military actions coincided with visits by U.S. envoys to Moscow and Kyiv to discuss peace proposals, alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's scheduled trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. While U.S. President Donald Trump claimed both nations agreed to refrain from hitting energy facilities, Zelenskyy stated Ukraine would halt such strikes only if Western allies ensure Moscow refrains from targeting Ukrainian energy, food, and supply routes. Meanwhile, European Union officials condemned recent Russian strikes near the Polish border as intimidation attempts.

Sources: Avaz, Beta, CDM, N1, Vijesti

European authorities are intensifying security measures following new details regarding a thwarted hybrid attack at Leipzig Airport, where two suspects linked to Moscow were identified. Italian security sources clarified that although one suspect possessed an Italian Schengen visa, he did not enter the borderless zone through Italy.

Simultaneously, Danish intelligence agencies alerted domestic industrial sectors to potential Russian sabotage threats. Addressing the growing foreign interference, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated, "we will not tolerate attacks on EU soil."

On the frontline, Russia initiated a fresh military campaign targeting Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure. In response, Ukrainian drone strikes hit several Russian oil refineries and fuel depots, disrupting domestic supplies and compelling Moscow to import petroleum products from abroad to cover national shortages.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica.

Military confrontations between the United States and Iran have intensified around the Strait of Hormuz following a series of retaliatory strikes. U.S. Central Command reported sinking five Revolutionary Guard vessels after intercepting an attack against U.S. naval units. Tehran responded by launching 20 missiles at U.S. military positions in Jordan, while Iranian state media claimed strikes on six maritime targets, including three tankers and an aircraft carrier.

Despite the escalations and fires aboard hit vessels, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the strategic waterway remains open and described Tehran as experiencing "great difficulty." U.S. intelligence officials warned that Iranian Revolutionary Guards may escalate operations further as regional tensions persist.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, La Repubblica.

United States federal prosecutors have unsealed charges against five individuals linked to Russian intelligence, alleging a Kremlin-directed campaign to conduct surveillance, sabotage, and assassinations targeting supporters of Ukraine across Europe and the US. According to the Department of Justice, the network financed operatives to carry out attacks, including a June 2024 incident in Prague. The five suspects currently remain at large.

In a related development, a German regional court in Stuttgart convicted a Ukrainian national involved in a Russian-backed parcel bomb scheme. Prosecutors stated the operation used courier services to send disguised explosives containing GPS trackers to destabilize European security and infrastructure.

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

At least five people were killed and 16 others injured following a series of Russian bombardments across Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region, local emergency services reported.

Russian forces targeted five districts within the region nearly 60 times over a 24-hour period. In the Kamianske district, strikes left three residents dead and five wounded. A separate attack on Pavlohrad resulted in two fatalities and seven injuries. Additional casualties and structural damage were reported in the Nikopol district.

Emergency workers remain deployed across affected communities to conduct search-and-rescue operations, manage fires, and clear rubble left by drone strikes and artillery fire.

Sources: Ziarul de Gardă