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Morning Headlines
Reuters: Russia paid for Moldovan Orthodox priests to make Moscow pilgrimages and gave them debit cards loaded with hundreds of dollars on their return home. In exchange, priests created Telegram channels to influence Moldova's elections, warning against integration with the European Union and promoting traditional values over ‘gay Europe.’
ISW: Russian forces are reportedly rearranging forces to prepare for offensive operations across several sectors of the frontline but lack the forces and means required to sustain these operations simultaneously.
The Kyiv Independent: Ukrainian drones struck the Afipsky Oil Refinery in southwestern Russia overnight on Sept. 26, Russian authorities reported.
The Kyiv Independent: The Ukrainian military struck three gas distribution stations in the Russian-occupied part of Luhansk Oblast overnight on Sept. 25, according to military officials.
More News
The Kyiv Independent: European diplomats warned Russian officials this week that NATO is prepared to respond to further airspace violations with force, including by shooting down Russian planes, Bloomberg reported Sept. 25.
ISW: The Kremlin is setting conditions to generate possibly violent protests to remove Moldovan President Maia Sandu from power following the September 28 Moldovan parliamentary elections.
The Kyiv Independent: Two Hungarian Gripen fighter jets intercepted five Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea on Sept. 25, NATO Air Command reported.
Reuters: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is advocating for the European Union to unlock up to 140 billion euros in frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine's war effort, marking the first public expression of support at this level from Germany for such a move.
The Kyiv Independent: Trump on Sept. 25 said that Russia has made almost no territorial gains during recent attacks on Ukraine, despite spending vast resources and suffering significant losses.
Reuters: Poland has banned pro-Russian Moldovan politician Irina Vlah from its territory, the foreign ministry said on Thursday, accusing her of helping Moscow interfere in Moldova's parliamentary elections.
Euractiv: Poland is preparing to amend its law on military deployments abroad to allow its forces to shoot down Russian objects, such as drones, over Ukraine without prior NATO or EU approval.
Reuters: NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte on Thursday backed Trump's comments this week that NATO member countries should shoot down Russian drones and airplanes if they enter their airspace, if such a move was necessary.
The Kyiv Independent: NATO potentially shooting down a Russian plane in allied airspace "would be war," Russian Ambassador to France, Alexey Meshkov, said in an interview with the RTL news channel published on Sept. 25.
Reuters: The 19th package of European Union sanctions against Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine will close a loophole allowing Russia to bypass an EU ban for imports of liquefied petroleum gas, Polish energy minister said on Thursday.
CNN: German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned on Thursday about the growing threat posed by Russian space activities, citing concerns over two Russian satellites shadowing Intelsat satellites used by German forces and others.
Reuters: Turkey temporarily deployed a warning and control aircraft to Lithuania as part of NATO security measures, the defence ministry said on Thursday, following repeated airspace violations by Russian drones.
Ukrainska Pravda: Cyber experts from Defence Intelligence of Ukraine have paralysed Russia’s national Faster Payment System SBP, widely used for transfers to Russian "charitable and volunteer organisations" supporting the war against Ukraine.
Reuters: Bulgaria will suspend Russian gas transit for short-term contracts in 2026 as part of European Union plans to cut off Russian gas imports completely, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov told Bulgarian news agency BTA.
The Insider: Chechen head Ramzan Kadyrov brags about sending tens of thousands of volunteers to fight in Ukraine. In reality, his security forces blackmail and intimidate locals into signing military contracts.
The Kyiv Independent: Ukrainian drones struck a chemical plant in Russia's Krasnodar Krai overnight on Sept. 25, sparking a fire and forcing an evacuation, Russian independent media outlet Astra reported.
RFE/RL: What do Russia’s GRU, a neo-Nazi veteran of the Ukraine war, and former far-right soccer fans have in common? They’re linked to an ongoing campaign to recruit saboteurs in the US and Europe. RFE/RL’s investigation documents those links for the first time.
The Kyiv Independent: Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) destroyed two Russian An-26 transport aircraft and two radar stations in a drone attack on occupied Crimea, the agency reported on Sept. 25. The strike is part of ongoing efforts to destroy high-value Russian assets on the peninsula, HUR said.
Reuters: Chinese drone experts have flown to Russia to conduct technical development work on military drones at a state-owned weapons manufacturer that is under Western sanctions.
The Kyiv Independent: Ukraine's military intelligence struck Russia's oil terminals in Tuapse and Novorossiysk with naval drones on Sept. 24, "paralyzing" major export operations on the Black Sea coast.
worth mentioning
EU and Ukraine extend road transport agreement until 31 March 2027
Russia's state debt-servicing costs will rise by 23% in 2026
Russian scheme to draw foreign investment sees no uptake
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