Oct 15, 2026, 05:30 PM UTC

US President Donald Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to stop targeting each other's energy infrastructure. Despite the reported deal, hostilities persisted across multiple fronts. Russian shelling in the Kherson region killed two people and wounded 14 others, while Ukrainian drone strikes in Sochi and Russia's Belgorod region left seven people injured.

In Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree removing the country's prosecutor general from office. Meanwhile, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned a Russian attack on a train near the Ukrainian-Polish border, framing it as an effort to intimidate European allies. Consequently, the EU extended its existing sanctions against Moscow.

Sources: CDM (Cafe del Montenegro)

European Union leaders have issued stern warnings against alleged Russian intelligence operations on EU territory. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the bloc remains prepared to respond and will not tolerate attacks, following the identification by German authorities of two suspects linked to Moscow concerning explosive drones found in Leipzig.

Concurrently, Russian forces have initiated a targeted campaign against Ukraine's energy grid, launching fresh overnight drone attacks on Kyiv that injured at least one person. The strikes followed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly, where he labeled Russian President Vladimir Putin as "the patient zero who wanted the war." Meanwhile, Ukrainian strikes against Russian oil refineries have disrupted local fuel supplies, forcing Moscow to import petroleum from abroad.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica.

United States federal prosecutors in Manhattan have unsealed charges against five alleged Russian intelligence operatives accused of directing a global assassination and sabotage network. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the suspects recruited individuals in North America and Europe to surveil and attack targets supporting Ukraine, including defense contractors and pro-Kyiv figures.

Unsealed court documents link the network to a physical assault in Prague in June 2024 alongside broader covert operations. Simultaneously, Denmark's Security and Intelligence Service reported that Russian operatives executed physical sabotage against Danish defense companies manufacturing military equipment for Kyiv, marking a heightened phase in Moscow's hybrid campaign.

All five accused operatives remain at large as international authorities continue investigations into the network.

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

Tehran state media reported that Iranian forces launched missiles targeting six maritime vessels, including three oil tankers and three American naval ships, as well as a US aircraft carrier near the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian authorities stated that a fire on one targeted tanker was successfully controlled.

US President Donald Trump rejected assertions that the strategic waterway had been shut down, claiming Iranian forces are experiencing severe difficulties. However, American intelligence assessments reportedly indicated concern that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps feels emboldened following recent strikes, raising risks of an expanded regional conflict.

The maritime clashes threaten a fragile 14-point memorandum signed in June, which had established a truce following military escalation earlier this year.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica.

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called on lawmakers to establish a legal framework for future post-war elections, despite ongoing martial law that prohibits holding votes during the conflict. Dismissed by President Volodymyr Zelensky in July, Fedorov emphasized that early technical and legislative planning is necessary to address significant logistical hurdles before hostilities conclude.

Key challenges include enabling voting access for millions of internally displaced citizens, overseas refugees, and active military personnel serving on the front lines. While Ukrainian law strictly bars electoral processes under active martial law, proponents argue that proactive preparation will facilitate a smooth democratic transition once conditions allow. Parliamentary leadership has not yet confirmed whether formal debate on the proposed measures will commence.

Sources: Le Monde