The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit concluded on September 1, with discussions focused on forming an anti-Western coalition. Although no formal alliance was declared, notable statements were made, such as by Putin's aide Ushakov, who denied any agreement with Trump regarding a Putin-Zelensky meeting. This signals the failure of Trump’s efforts to influence an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.
On the military front, Ukrainian intelligence successfully struck two Russian Mi-8 helicopters and a tugboat in Crimea. Analysts report a decrease of 18% in the rate of Russian territorial occupation in August compared to previous months, with little change in the total occupied area since October 2022. Russia maintains plans to capture Odesa and Mykolaiv in order to cut Ukraine off from the Black Sea.
At a recent Russian Defense Ministry meeting, holding large Ukrainian cities remained a strategic goal. Gerasimov announced control over almost the entire Luhansk region and significant parts of others, with plans for further offensives. The West is concerned about the ongoing nature of the war, and European politicians warn against getting accustomed to the situation.
There was also an incident involving European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s plane, which had to land in Bulgaria using paper maps due to GPS failures. Officials and media report this could be a result of Russian interference, as such incidents have become more frequent since 2022.
The SCO summit’s final declaration omitted mention of Ukraine but called for multipolarity, increased economic influence, and opposition to Western sanctions. Member countries expressed intent to deepen military cooperation, edging the SCO closer to being a politico-military bloc.
In Ukraine: investigators consider a Russian trace as the main version in the murder case of MP Andriy Parubiy, though details are scarce. A video of ex-president Viktor Yanukovych surfaced, criticizing the EU and reiterating his opposition to Ukraine’s NATO membership, seen as a Kremlin information operation.
Overall, the summit and current events point to growing geopolitical tensions, an increase in information and cyber attacks, and the SCO consolidating its anti-Western stance.
