Oct 13, 2026, 01:30 AM UTC

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated the European Union "will not tolerate attacks on EU soil" following German authorities' identification of two Moscow-linked suspects in an explosive drone plot in Leipzig. The warning comes as Russia launched a renewed military campaign targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure ahead of winter, marked by repeated drone strikes on Kyiv that injured a woman.

In response to the escalating bombardment, Ukrainian forces stepped up long-range strikes against Russian fuel facilities and oil refineries, forcing Moscow to import fuel. The heightened military activity follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's address to the UN General Assembly criticizing Russian leadership.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica.

United States President Donald Trump maintains that the Strait of Hormuz remains open and that Tehran faces "great difficulty," despite fresh military escalation in the Persian Gulf. Iranian state media claimed forces targeted six vessels, including three commercial tankers and three American naval ships, and launched missiles toward a US aircraft carrier. Rescuers managed to extinguish a fire aboard one damaged tanker.

The exchange follows a turbulent timeline that began with joint US-Israeli strikes in February, a 14-point ceasefire memorandum signed in June, and renewed American bombings in early July. Meanwhile, US intelligence assessments warn that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps perceives its strategic standing as strengthened, raising fears of further regional conflict.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica.

United States federal prosecutors have unsealed an indictment charging five alleged Russian intelligence operatives over a coordinated global plot involving planned assassinations and sabotage against supporters of Ukraine.

According to Manhattan court documents, the network recruited individuals across Europe and North America to conduct surveillance and targeted violence, including a June 2024 attack in Prague. Federal officials stated the group paid or sought to pay operatives targeting people perceived as aligned with Kyiv. All five suspects remain at large.

Simultaneously, Denmark's Security and Intelligence Service reported that Russian state actors carried out targeted sabotage against domestic defense manufacturers supplying military hardware to Ukraine, characterising the actions as a significant escalation in Moscow's hybrid campaign.

Sources: BBC News, France24, OCCRP, Sweden Herald, The Guardian.

Tehran has adopted a "completely offensive" military posture following the failure of peace negotiations with Washington, coinciding with the expiration of a 60-day bilateral memorandum. Senior Iranian military commanders announced they will maintain operations until achieving the "complete defeat" of American forces in the region.

In response to the diplomatic breakdown, US officials confirmed they will not extend the temporary ceasefire agreement. Meanwhile, military confrontation has escalated in the Strait of Hormuz, where US Central Command reported targeting five Iranian oil tankers and sinking one vessel following Iranian strikes against an American warship.

Analysts warn that the combination of severe economic sanctions and expanding maritime strikes significantly increases the risk of a full-scale regional conflict.

Sources: Adevărul, Digi24, HotNews, Moldova1, Ziarul de Gardă.

German law enforcement and intelligence services are investigating more than 100 suspected cases of state-sponsored hybrid attacks, ranging from drone overflights near military infrastructure to railway sabotage. Attention has intensified following a foiled August drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport, where an explosive device targeting Ukrainian transport aircraft failed to detonate. Investigators increasingly suspect Russia's GRU military intelligence service, with recent reports identifying a GRU operative as a key logistician behind the operation.

Domestic security officials also warned during a parliamentary hearing that foreign actors may have established clandestine weapons caches across Germany to prepare for future sabotage. Beyond Russian efforts aimed at destabilizing democratic institutions and undermining public support for Ukraine, intelligence chiefs cautioned against growing influence operations linked to China.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Standard, DW, FAZ, Tagesschau.