Sep 27, 2026, 06:30 AM UTC

Heavy combat continues across Ukraine, with the Ukrainian General Staff reporting over 250 clashes within 24 hours. Ukrainian forces repelled intense assaults in the Lyman, Kostiantynivka, and Pokrovsk sectors. North of Kupiansk, Ukrainian infantry carried out clearing operations along the Oskil River after suppressing Russian drone capabilities, alongside reported Ukrainian gains near Lyman.

In contrast, Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed control over several settlements near Sumy, while Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov denied Ukrainian progress in the Zaporizhzhia sector.

Aerial attacks intensified as Russian forces launched 138 drones overnight. Civilian casualties were confirmed in Kyiv Oblast, where a mother and two children died, and in Kherson Oblast, where a priest was killed in a drone strike on a monastery.

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

United States federal prosecutors have charged five alleged Russian intelligence operatives for conspiring to carry out targeted assassinations and sabotage against supporters of Ukraine across North America and Europe. According to an unsealed indictment in Manhattan, the suspects orchestrated a global network to conduct surveillance and execute lethal attacks, including a June 2024 incident in Prague. All five individuals remain at large.

In a related development, a regional court in Stuttgart, Germany, convicted a Ukrainian national involved in a Russian-backed covert operation. Prosecutors stated that the plot entailed mailing parcels containing explosives and tracking devices across European transit routes to disrupt public safety and regional security. German authorities noted that two additional accomplices assisted in managing the scheme's logistics.

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

The upcoming US midterm elections are increasingly shaping Washington's foreign policy decisions regarding Ukraine and the Middle East.

Former Ukrainian Ambassador Valeriy Chalyi cautioned that if Republicans lose control of Congress, American lawmakers may shift their focus toward domestic political conflict, reducing attention to Kyiv. Simultaneously, White House advisers have reportedly urged President Donald Trump to avoid escalating military tensions with Iran to protect Republican electoral prospects in November.

Despite partisan gridlock delaying key legislative measures such as anti-Russian sanctions, a visiting bipartisan US congressional delegation in Kyiv reaffirmed ongoing support. The lawmakers emphasized that Washington aims to ensure Ukraine negotiates from a "position of strength," while acknowledging internal disputes continue to complicate passing concrete bills.

Sources: NV, Liga net, Українська правда, Радіо Свобода.

The European Union's push for strategic military independence is encountering operational obstacles and industry resistance. Reports from the European Defence Agency warn that current rearmament rates remain too slow to address security threats by 2030, calling for a dramatic increase in investment. Concurrently, defense contractors warn against rapidly phasing out American technology, noting that removing US components could impair hardware capabilities, heighten cyber risks, and weaken NATO interoperability. Furthermore, security analysts point out severe cost asymmetries along Europe's eastern border, where forces use missiles valued at up to €1 million against uncrewed drones costing roughly €10,000. European leaders are weighing these financial and operational trade-offs.

Sources: Belsat, NEXTA, Point, The Insider

Diplomatic negotiations mediated by Qatar to reopen the Strait of Hormuz have encountered serious delays following renewed military action and expanded conditions from both Washington and Tehran. US Central Command confirmed airstrikes on launcher positions on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first US strikes on Iranian soil in a month. Iranian media reported six naval personnel killed.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi outlined Tehran's demands to US envoy Steve Witkoff, requiring an immediate end to the US naval blockade, unfreezing assets, and halting regional conflicts. Prospects faded further as US President Donald Trump stated Washington will demand financial compensation from Iran.

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