On September 26, journalist Lariy Klychk presented a morning update on new incidents involving Russia, drone activities in Europe, Donald Trump’s statements, and the frontline situation in Ukraine. Donald Trump met with Turkish President Erdogan, urging him to stop buying oil from Russia while stating that, for landlocked Hungary, purchasing Russian oil remains the only option. US and European positions on sanctions differ, and Turkey continues its cooperation with Russia.
Overnight, Russia launched a massive drone attack on Ukraine using 154 drones of various types. Odessa and Sumy regions were hit especially hard, with residential buildings damaged and power outages reported, but no casualties. Ukrainian air defense managed to neutralize or shoot down over 120 drones, but some reached their targets.
In retaliation, Ukrainian forces struck back: an oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region was attacked, resulting in a confirmed fire. Additional strikes targeted gas distribution stations in Luhansk region. These facts have been made public in open sources.
Unidentified drones have repeatedly been recorded near military installations and airports in France, Denmark, and other European countries, which led to enhanced security measures and temporary airspace closures. Danish authorities explicitly stated they may retaliate against Russia if threatened. Russia responded by warning of possible open conflict with NATO should one of its aircraft or drones be shot down over European territory.
Key EU countries are updating their legislation to allow their military to shoot down Russian drones over Ukraine. Poland is preparing the relevant legislation, with similar changes already in force in Romania.
Separately, recent international news highlights the sale of the US stake in TikTok to a consortium of American investors and the South Korean president’s statement that North Korea is nearing completion of an ICBM capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to the US, raising regional tensions.
The overview summarizes the main security challenges facing Europe and Ukraine, ongoing dialogue between NATO, Russia, and the US, and neighboring countries’ proactive steps against rising threats.
