The Council of the European Union has added Ksenia Fedorova, former head of the French division of the Russian state television channel RT (Russia Today), to its sanctions list. The restrictive measures were imposed over her involvement in Russian hybrid activity and the dissemination of pro-Kremlin narratives. The decision was...
RAF creates first space squadron to protect British satellites
The Royal Air Force has announced the creation of the United Kingdom’s first dedicated space squadron — No. III Space Effects Squadron. The unit is intended to protect British satellites and counter hostile threats in orbit. The announcement was made by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir...
Baltic states request €500 million from European Commission for drone defence
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have asked the European Commission to urgently allocate €500 million to strengthen counter-drone systems. The defence ministers of the three countries — Martin Herem (Estonia), Raivis Melnis (Latvia) and Robertas Kaunas (Lithuania) — sent a confidential letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on...
Switzerland joins EU sanctions against Belarus
The Swiss Federal Council has imposed additional restrictive measures against Belarus, joining the European Union sanctions package adopted on 23 April 2026. This was announced by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). The new measures entered into force on 19 September 2026. Earlier, on 22 May, the Federal Department...
Brussels proposes unblocking €4.2 billion in EU funds for Hungary
The European Commission has proposed that the EU Council lift restrictive measures against Hungary and unblock €4.2 billion from cohesion policy funds. The move follows rule-of-law reforms carried out by the country’s new government. The Commission concluded that Budapest has addressed previously identified shortcomings that posed a risk to the...
Police arrest two suspects over alleged terror plot against Manchester’s Jewish community
Сounter-terrorism police have announced the arrest of two men as part of an investigation into a suspected terrorist plot targeting the Jewish community in the Manchester area of northern England. The suspects, both in their 30s, were arrested on Sunday, 20 September, on Newton Street in central Manchester on suspicion...
Albania’s intelligence chief placed under house arrest in corruption case
Albania’s Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organised Crime (SPAK) on Tuesday announced house arrest for Vlora Hyseni, head of the State Intelligence Service (SHISH). She was simultaneously suspended from her duties. Hyseni is suspected of disclosing classified information and aiding an offender. The case is linked to a wider corruption...
Berlin prepares to restrict Alternative for Germany’s access to secret defense plan
The German government led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz is considering measures to limit access by members of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party to the country’s classified operational defense plan, known as OPLAN Deutschland. The roughly 1,000-page document was drawn up in 2024 after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine....
Lithuanian Seimas backs removal of constitutional ban on nuclear weapons
Lithuania’s parliament has approved in the first reading a bill to strike from the Constitution the article that prohibits the deployment of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, on the country’s territory. The initiative received 99 votes in favour, 13 against and five abstentions. Article 137 of Lithuania’s Constitution,...
Reform UK support falls to lowest level since 2024 election
Support for the right-populist party Reform UK has fallen to its lowest level since the 2024 general election, according to a YouGov poll. In YouGov’s latest survey, Nigel Farage’s party scored 21% down 2 points from the previous week. The pollster said this was Reform UK’s weakest result since it...