Oct 21, 2026, 09:00 PM UTC

Turkey's opposition leader Özgür Özel has launched a sharp critique against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan following a controversial power shift in Istanbul's Üsküdar district. Addressing a public rally, Özel accused the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of disregarding democratic results after municipal council votes transferred local executive authority to the AKP, despite the opposition’s victory in local elections.

Separately, during a televised broadcast on Koza TV, Özel defended Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş’s recent meeting with Erdoğan. He emphasized that routine dialogue between local executives and the Turkish presidency remains essential for effective municipal governance.

Sources: Bianet, Cumhuriyet

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has called for calm following the deployment of additional military forces along the border with Russia, stressing that early preparation is vital to counter potential provocations. In a broad interview, Nausėda defended the proactive security steps, arguing that taking precautionary measures beforehand is far preferable to reacting after an incident occurs.

Beyond border security, the president addressed broader national defense challenges, acknowledging gaps in Lithuania's air defense infrastructure and delays in joint drone production efforts with Ukraine. Nausėda also voiced concern over internal friction within the defense establishment, including controversies at the Ministry of National Defence that he warned could inflict lasting reputational damage. Additionally, he highlighted the need to strengthen national emergency preparedness after recent severe weather exposed critical infrastructural vulnerabilities.

Sources: 15min, LSM.

Ukraine’s outgoing Prosecutor General, Ruslan Kravchenko, has announced criminal charges against Semen Kryvonos, director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU). In a video statement, Kravchenko accused Kryvonos of forging official documents for substantial financial gain and arranging a fraudulent adoption to avoid prosecution. Ukrainian media reported that Kravchenko departed the country in a state vehicle shortly after issuing the statement.

In a joint statement, NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) stated that Kryvonos had not received a formal notice of suspicion. Anti-graft authorities framed Kravchenko's claims as an effort to disrupt a high-profile investigation into an alleged criminal group involving current and former lawmakers alongside senior officials in the President’s Office. Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged parliament to swiftly approve Kravchenko’s dismissal.

Sources: NEXTA, OCCRP, The Insider, Радіо Свобода, Українська правда

Former French presidential candidate Ségolène Royal has secured the necessary endorsements to compete in the October left-wing primary organized by the Socialist Party and Place Publique.

Royal joins a seven-candidate field that includes Socialist First Secretary Olivier Faure. Despite earlier promises to refrain from personal attacks, Royal drew attention after calling rival Raphaël Glucksmann a "media darling." The two-round primary, scheduled for October 9–10 and October 16–17, will take place without the French Communist Party, whose leader Fabien Roussel announced an independent bid for the 2027 presidential election.

Sources: La Tribune, Le Figaro, Le Monde, Libération.

Ukrainian municipal authorities have urged Kyiv residents to stockpile essential supplies as Russian strikes on the energy grid intensify. Officials confirmed active coordination between central and city authorities to construct protective infrastructure and prepare partial evacuation protocols for less mobile citizens, noting "there is no time to wait."

Despite these measures, former officials and analysts warn that capital infrastructure remains severely exposed. Former Restoration Agency head Serhiy Sukhomlyn remarked that preparations depend heavily on "a warm winter and the inaccuracy of Russian strikes." Further reports highlight procurement delays, indicating that backup power systems for Kyiv's water utility may not be fully operational until March 2027.

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