Oct 25, 2026, 07:00 AM UTC

Russian forces initiated fresh nighttime drone strikes on Kyiv, resulting in injuries and damaging local infrastructure shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the United Nations General Assembly. Russian defense officials acknowledged an expanded military offensive focused on destroying Ukraine's energy grid ahead of the winter season. Simultaneously, Ukrainian drone retaliations against Russian petroleum facilities have created domestic fuel shortages, forcing Moscow to rely on foreign fuel imports.

In Western Europe, security concerns mounted following an investigation by German law enforcement that linked two suspects to explosive drone incidents in Leipzig, with both individuals reportedly tied to Moscow. Addressing the incidents, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared that the European Union "will not tolerate attacks" on member states' soil and reaffirmed readiness to enact defensive countermeasures.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica.

Slovakia's ruling coalition is under scrutiny following a series of political and administrative controversies. Reporting revealed that Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák’s firm received consulting fees from Czech arms manufacturer CSG before his appointment, after which his ministry awarded contracts to the firm.

Separately, Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba was removed from his post after Slovak National Party leader Andrej Danko backed an opposition motion against him. The move highlights deepening divisions within Prime Minister Robert Fico's government coalition.

Meanwhile, Slovakia restored bilateral military attaché relations with Russia, becoming the first EU state to take such a step since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, raising espionage concerns among opposition politicians. Public integrity questions also emerged over the un-tendered appointment of a police investigator’s spouse to a state energy board shortly after the investigator dismissed complaints against Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok. Authorities have denied any wrongdoing.

Sources: Český rozhlas Plus, Denník N, Ekonomický deník, iROZHLAS, Seznam Zprávy

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally rejected a 15-point Gaza peace framework presented by US President Donald Trump's administration, stating that Israeli troops will not withdraw until Hamas is completely disarmed. In televised remarks on Sunday, Netanyahu affirmed that military actions would persist to counter potential threats to Israeli forces, despite Israeli offensive operations in the region having largely paused due to diplomatic pressure from Washington.

The public rejection highlights growing political friction between Jerusalem and the White House ahead of Israel's general election scheduled for 27 October. Netanyahu remains under intense domestic political pressure, balancing demands from far-right coalition partners who oppose territorial concessions against insistence from Washington for progress toward a ceasefire agreement previously accepted by Hamas.

Sources: Cyprus Mail, France24, STV News, The Guardian, The Herald.

In Geneva, 128 nations agreed on a formal definition for autonomous weapons systems following joint warnings from the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross that machines independently targeting humans risks crossing "a moral red line".

Concurrently, Western armed forces continue expanding their artificial intelligence capabilities. Germany's Ministry of Defence confirmed that semi-autonomous systems could function independently under specific circumstances, reiterating that "the decision on the use of military force remains with humans." The German military also rejected software from American vendor Palantir, electing to build its own data analytics platform.

Additionally, Ukraine and NATO have jointly developed two AI systems designed to forecast drone trajectories and assist artillery targeting, with integration into Ukrainian operational systems underway.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Spiegel, Der Standard, Die Zeit, Hartpunkt

Former Slovenian national team captain Aleš Čeh and forward Jan Mlakar have reflected on their career paths and the state of domestic club football.

Čeh, who captained Slovenia under manager Srečko Katanec, discussed his transition into coaching. Following more than a decade as Katanec's assistant—including seven years working in Asia—Čeh expressed affection for former clubs Olimpija Ljubljana and Grazer AK while emphasizing his respect for rivals NK Maribor.

Meanwhile, 27-year-old striker Jan Mlakar spoke about returning to NK Maribor for a third spell as he targets a league championship. Commenting on rivals Olimpija Ljubljana, Mlakar acknowledged their recent internal difficulties while warning that form is unpredictable in derby matches, noting that "in a derby they can only gain."

Sources: Delo, Siol.net