Sep 30, 2026, 06:30 PM UTC

Cross-border strikes between Russia and Ukraine persisted as US envoys visited both nations to discuss peace proposals. Russian missile and drone attacks struck several Ukrainian regions, including Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, killing at least four people and injuring over a dozen. Ukrainian forces launched retaliatory strikes against infrastructure in Sochi, Belgorod, and a Russian oil refinery.

The escalation coincided with claims by US President Donald Trump that both nations agreed to halt attacks on energy infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy clarified that Kyiv would comply only if Western partners guarantee Russia refrains from targeting Ukrainian energy facilities, infrastructure, and food supply routes.

Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned a Russian strike near the Polish border as an effort to divide European allies.

Sources: Avaz, Beta, CDM, N1, Vijesti

Russian bombardment across Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region killed at least five civilians and wounded 16 others over a 24-hour period, according to local emergency responders. Russian forces targeted five separate districts nearly 60 times using artillery and drone strikes, causing structural damage and casualties.

The heaviest casualties were reported in Kamenske district, where three people died and five sustained injuries. In Pavlohrad, bombardment resulted in two fatalities and seven wounded residents. Additional injuries and physical destruction occurred in Nikopol district, where emergency crews worked to extinguish structural fires and clear debris. Local authorities continue assessing the damage across affected communities.

Sources: Ziarul de Gardă.

The United States has launched military strikes targeting Iranian coastal infrastructure near the strategic southern cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirik. The operation marks the first direct exchange of fire between the two nations in a month.

In the wake of the bombardments, US President Donald Trump warned of additional attacks should Tehran choose to retaliate, stating that Iranian leadership is "begging" for an agreement with Washington. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded by asserting that while his country does not seek wider warfare, it will "respond decisively to aggressors." Meanwhile, Iranian naval officials insisted that their maritime forces remain operational despite the US bombardment.

Sources: CDM (Cafe del Montenegro).

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was dismissed by President Volodymyr Zelensky in July, has urged lawmakers to establish a legal framework for national elections once martial law is lifted.

While Ukrainian law strictly prohibits holding elections while martial law remains active, Fedorov stressed that early planning is necessary to address logistical hurdles. Key challenges include organizing voting procedures for millions of citizens displaced abroad and ensuring active-duty military personnel can participate in post-conflict balloting. The appeal reflects growing discussions in Kyiv on maintaining democratic continuity and preparing public infrastructure for the immediate post-war period.

Sources: Le Monde.

Tehran has declared that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until Washington meets key conditions, including lifting petroleum sanctions, unfreezing assets, ending port blockades, and halting military operations. Although U.S. President Donald Trump rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the strategic passage within seven days for peace talks, Iranian officials stated they are still awaiting a "definitive position" from the U.S. government.

Concurrently, military confrontations in the waterway are intensifying. Following a U.S. strike on Iran's Larak Island and nighttime naval escorts for commercial oil tankers, Iranian forces responded by deploying rocket-launched naval mines into the strategic corridor.

Sources: Expresso, Expresso das Ilhas, Jornal Económico, RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal)