- Russia will pretend it was accidental: revealed Moscow’s plans against NATO
- Putin took decisive action: seized Nestlé and Auchan assets in Russia
- NYT: Trump may offer business deals to Russia before the war ends
Find the latest news about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine HERE.
Russia will pretend it was accidental: revealed Moscow’s plans against NATO
09:34
Russia may carry out “hybrid drone and missile strikes” against Poland and other NATO countries supporting Ukraine, trying to portray them as accidental incidents, warned Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, based on intelligence assessments.
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Speaking in parliament on Thursday, D. Tusk said such attacks could be part of Russia’s attempt to test NATO’s resolve and raise doubts about whether the Alliance would invoke Article 5, which considers an attack on one member as an attack on all, reports “TVP World”.
“According to intelligence assessments, Russia’s plan (…) includes hybrid drone and missile strikes against countries supporting Ukraine, including Poland,” said D. Tusk.
“This possibility has been discussed for some time, but now this information is very consistent and, unfortunately, convincing,” he added.
Considers it the most likely scenario
D. Tusk said he considers this scenario the most likely in the coming months, although it is not the only possible option. He did not specify which intelligence agencies provided these assessments. However, a week ago he said he had directly received a detailed report on the possible development of the situation in the coming months from CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
The Polish prime minister did not say whether Thursday’s warning was based specifically on that report.
In recent days, after Russia carried out a series of drone strikes near the Ukraine-Poland border, D. Tusk’s warning came at a particularly tense time.
Explosion near the Polish border
On Thursday, Poland scrambled fighter jets after a Russian jet drone approached the border during an attack in western Ukraine. According to preliminary Polish military information, it crashed or was shot down about 4 kilometers from the Polish border.
D. Tusk said it appeared the target was a gas station near the Yahodyn-Dorohusk border crossing, where a powerful explosion occurred. The Polish military reported that its airspace was not violated.
Air raid sirens sounded in eastern Poland, and flights at Lublin and Rzeszów airports were temporarily suspended as Polish military aviation operated in the area.
On Friday, Polish fighter jets were also scrambled due to increased Russian activity in Ukraine.
Struck a train
Thursday’s incident followed Russian drone strikes in the same border area on Sunday. One drone hit the locomotive of a passenger train on the Kyiv-Warsaw route about 2 kilometers from Poland, and another struck a gas station near the Yahodyn-Dorohusk crossing.
D. Tusk said in parliament that these recent attacks near the Polish border cause “particular concern” and added that the public has the right to know which scenario is most likely in the coming months.
“I want to present to the public the most likely scenario for the coming months, as it foresees serious events and requires focus, calm, and psychological preparedness to withstand difficult trials,” he said.
Russia may pretend everything was accidental
According to D. Tusk, under this scenario, Russia could deliberately direct drones or missiles at NATO countries while trying to present such incidents as accidental and create uncertainty about whether they constitute acts of aggression.
“In short, there is a real risk that drones or other types of missiles could enter the territory of one or several eastern flank countries and even cause damage, with the official narrative being that it was an accident,” he said.
D. Tusk said this would aim to weaken NATO members’ will to respond collectively and show that Article 5 exists “only theoretically, not practically.”
Poland – an important NATO eastern flank country and one of Kyiv’s strongest allies – remains on high alert throughout the full-scale war in Ukraine, reports “TVP World”.
During a large-scale attack on Ukraine in September 2025, nearly 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace. Polish and allied aircraft shot down several of them – the first time since the start of the full-scale war that NATO forces fired on Russian targets.
In July, during an attack on Ukraine, a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile violated Polish airspace and fell in a field in eastern Poland about 80 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. There were no casualties, but the missile, which Polish officials said carried a “significant amount” of explosives, left a crater about 10 meters wide.
D. Tusk also warned that late autumn and winter will be the “most critical period” in Russia’s war against Ukraine so far, as Moscow follows a strategy to destroy the country’s economy and logistics on a large scale.
He said assessments indicate Russia may seek to destroy road and rail crossings on the Ukrainian side of the border and possibly target crossings in Poland or Moldova, carrying out attacks presented as accidental to disrupt the supply of generators, fuel, and other aid to Ukraine.
D. Tusk said information received by Poland about recent US-Russia talks shows Moscow is not ready for serious negotiations on ceasefires or truces without Ukraine’s “de facto capitulation.”
NBC: Trump considers withdrawing 25,000 US troops from Europe
10:30
The US military contingent in Europe, including combat aircraft, ships, weapons, and troops, may be reduced by a third, sources told NBC News.
According to them, the possible withdrawal would most likely affect Germany, Italy, and Spain – countries that US President Donald Trump criticized this year for what he considered insufficient support in the war against Iran.
The main part of US forces in Europe is deployed in these three countries, with a total of about 80,000 American troops on the continent.
This would be the largest reduction of US military presence in Europe since the end of the Cold War.
Despite NATO allies’ warnings about increasing Russian aggression, the US may withdraw about 25,000 troops from Europe.
One US official and another source familiar with the considerations said the contingent could be cut by half – to 40,000 troops.
If implemented, this would be the largest reduction of US military presence in Europe since the end of the Cold War in the 1990s, NBC notes.
However, according to a senior Pentagon spokesperson and two other officials, no decisions have been made yet.
Four options to be presented
Read more HERE.
Fighter jets return in Poland – operation canceled
10:15
At 10:03 Lithuanian time, it was announced that military aviation operations in Polish airspace have ended, and fighter jets are returning.
“Ground-based air defense systems and radar reconnaissance means have returned to normal operation. It is reported that no violations of the airspace of the Republic of Poland were recorded.
The Polish military continues to constantly monitor the situation in Ukrainian territory and remains on constant alert to ensure the security of Polish airspace,” the military statement said.
Read more about the situation HERE.
Putin took decisive action: seized Nestlé and Auchan assets in Russia
10:01
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Thursday confiscating assets of several international companies, including Nestlé and Auchan.
Among other companies mentioned are Bati Logistics, FM Logistics, and Le Monlid LLC, whose assets, according to Russian media, along with Nestlé and Auchan assets, were transferred to temporary management by the Russian joint-stock company L.E.V. Management, reports the Ukrainian portal The Kyiv Independent.
Neither Nestlé nor Auchan left the Russian market after Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022 but changed their business models. According to the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) Institute, Nestlé removed several of its main brands, stopped advertising, and halted capital investments in Russia.
French Auchan handed over its Russian subsidiary to local management in 2023, considering itself a necessary civil service and refusing to withdraw.
Fico does not want to help NATO in case of war: “Who would we fight against?”
08:13
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico stated he does not want his country to be involved in a military conflict under NATO’s Article 5. He said this while speaking to students and staff at Prešov Hospital.
The Slovak premier criticized European leaders for “militant rhetoric” and asked who exactly NATO would be fighting against.
“It seems that sometimes there is a tendency to replace the inability to solve problems like illegal migration, competitiveness, and high energy prices with such militant talks: ‘Forward, let’s fight.’ For God’s sake, who do we want to fight? With whom?” he said.
R. Fico also said he does not want Slovakia to participate in a military conflict due to the application of NATO’s Article 5.
“Can you imagine, ladies and gentlemen, that NATO Treaty Article 5 would be applied? Can anyone imagine that? Can anyone imagine that we would be told: prepare 5,000 soldiers, 10,000 soldiers, and they would go somewhere to fight? And we wouldn’t even know with whom, why, or for what,” he explained.
According to the Slovak prime minister, as head of government, he will do everything to keep the country out of military conflict.
“I don’t want Slovakia to become part of any military conflict because of some Article 5. As prime minister, I will do everything to ensure Slovakia is never involved in a military conflict,” he said.
US expected to approve transfer of 10 Patriot missiles to Ukraine from Germany
07:57
The United States plans to approve the transfer of 10 Patriot missiles to Ukraine from Germany, according to US Congressional documents released Tuesday.
Reported by the Ukrainian portal The Kyiv Independent.
Ukraine faces a critical shortage of Patriot air defense ammunition, which is the only reliable system capable of shooting down Russian ballistic missiles.
Germany will soon transfer ten MIM-104E GEM-T Patriot missiles worth $29.6 million (€25.78 million), the US State Department said in its report to Congress.
Although the weapons will be supplied from Germany, under US Arms Export Control Act, Congress must review transfers of US-made weapons to third countries if the initial equipment value exceeds $14 million (€12.19 million).
The transfer will be automatically approved if Congress does not pass a joint resolution prohibiting re-export of the weapons.
“This transfer aligns with US security assistance objectives,” the State Department statement said. “The US government is prepared to authorize this transfer, considering political, military, economic, human rights, and arms control aspects.”
In September, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Berlin is ready to supply Ukraine with additional PAC-2 missiles for Patriot systems and other air defense ammunition.
The GEM-T Patriot missile is an improved PAC-2 version with a new fuze and systems enhancing radar sensitivity. It is most effective against drones and cruise missiles, while the more modern PAC-3, developed using hit-to-kill technology, remains the best defense against ballistic missiles.
NYT: Trump may offer business deals to Russia before the war ends
06:56
The administration of US President Donald Trump is considering economic agreements with Russia before the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine. American officials say such agreements could provide additional incentives for Russian leader Vladimir Putin to agree to end the war, reports The New York Times (NYT), citing its sources.
One US official said Washington believes early business agreements could demonstrate to Moscow the seriousness of US intentions to renew relations with Russia.
This approach differs from Trump’s earlier position. Last year, the US president said the United States would not make major economic deals with Russia until the war was resolved.
Now, the US administration appears to be trying to combine pressure on the Kremlin with potential economic incentives.
US sanctions
Congress passed a broad bill imposing new sanctions on Russia. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved the bill 262 to 159 after the Senate passed it in August.
The bill imposes stricter restrictions on Russia’s energy and financial sectors, Russian government officials, banks, and the so-called “shadow fleet.” It also gives the US president the authority to impose up to 100% tariffs on countries purchasing Russian energy resources. The document has been sent to Trump for signature.
Thus, Washington is considering two measures simultaneously to influence Moscow – tightening sanctions and possible economic incentives.
Supporters of sanctions in Congress believe increased economic pressure should force the Kremlin to agree to negotiations. Meanwhile, the White House is seeking additional ways to convince Russian leadership to end the war.
What agreements might be offered to Moscow?
The publication says the specific list of possible agreements has not yet been disclosed.
After Putin’s meeting with Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow, Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said the countries discussed economic issues and potential major Russia-US projects in detail.
Russia has long sought to offer Washington various economic cooperation options – from joint extraction projects to cooperation in the Arctic and energy trade.
Sources involved in the negotiations say Trump’s team believes certain agreements before the war’s end could convince part of the Russian elite of the realism of improving future relations with the US.
Negotiations
The territorial issue remains the main obstacle. In recent talks, Russia firmly maintained its demands for control over the Donetsk region. Ukraine refuses to voluntarily give up territories it controls.
According to J. Kushner, the US administration’s role as mediator is to find a solution allowing both sides to move forward.
The new Washington approach may indicate an attempt to change tactics after negotiations on territorial concessions reached a deadlock.
Ukrainian officials previously reported that US-mediated talks could resume soon. Possible topics include limited strikes on energy infrastructure or cessation of Black Sea shipping.
Russia struck a shopping center in Zaporizhzhia: a huge fire broke out
06:31
On the evening of Thursday, September 17, Russian forces struck a shopping center in Zaporizhzhia, temporarily acting head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration Mikhail Semikin reported on Telegram.
He reported that a huge fire broke out at the strike site.
“The enemy struck a shopping center on the right bank – now a huge fire is raging there,” his message said.
M. Semikin added that today in Zaporizhzhia, civilian enterprises, bus stops, buses, and shopping centers became enemy targets.
According to him, Russian forces are destroying buckwheat and salt stocks, but he urged residents not to panic and not to start hoarding food supplies massively.
Later, M. Semikin added that city residents will no longer have the opportunity to conveniently shop for their favorite goods at this location.
“We lost the place where housewives shopped, workers stopped by after work, and young people spent time. It is a tragedy for the entire district,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, co-chairman of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Defense Council Ivan Fedorov reported on his Telegram channel that, according to preliminary data, no people were harmed during the Russian strike on the shopping center.
Available data indicates the shopping center is “Armstore.”
Reuters: War in Ukraine revealed NATO’s vulnerability
06:30
Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. It has also become a testing ground for new weapons systems and raised an uncomfortable question for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): is the Alliance ready for the next war it may have to fight?
The battlefield situation is changing so rapidly that some NATO weapons and tactics risk becoming outdated, five representatives of Ukrainian and Western militaries told Reuters.
The publication notes that non-NATO Ukraine adapts to changes within weeks, while the Alliance buys and develops weapons systems over years, sometimes decades.
The article also states that the war in Ukraine and US President Donald Trump’s attacks on European allies have prompted many NATO members to sharply increase defense spending.
The Pentagon is currently reviewing its military presence in European countries that Trump accused of “living” at the expense of US defense and refusing to help fight his unpopular war against Iran.
Europe continues to invest heavily in tanks, which many military analysts believe will play an important role in future battles.
Additionally, inexpensive drones and other factors have changed the nature of war. Large groups of soldiers or long convoys of vehicles have become much easier targets.
It is noted that in June this year, agency journalists visited NATO military exercises near Paldiski, Estonia – a small Baltic state currently strengthening its 210-mile border with Russia.
During the exercises, US and European soldiers treated dozens of allegedly wounded soldiers in field hospitals.
However, the exercises assumed NATO would control the airspace over the hospitals. In the era of cheap, hard-to-detect drones capable of covering long distances, such airspace control can no longer be taken for granted.
Ukrainian officials say Ukraine not only receives NATO training and assistance but also plays an increasingly important role in passing on experience gained during the war with Russia to the Alliance.
They also noted that NATO’s military bureaucracy is not capable of fully absorbing these lessons.
One Ukrainian officer who participated in NATO psychological operations training in Romania told Reuters that some Alliance training materials are still based on World War II examples.
The war in Ukraine has also revealed a vulnerability that NATO officials say is much harder to fix – air and missile defense.
Ongoing Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities have highlighted Europe’s dependence on advanced American missile defense systems like Patriot, first used during the 1991 Gulf War.
Ukraine faces a critical shortage of Patriot missile interceptors – missiles launched to destroy incoming threats.
The publication reports that Europe, fearing dependence on Patriot systems could become a strategic vulnerability, is developing alternatives not produced in the United States.
Ukraine awaits a new French and Italian SAMP/T-NG air defense system designed to intercept ballistic missiles.
France has promised to accelerate its delivery to Ukraine, and European diplomats previously told the agency the system should be delivered by next spring.
The article emphasizes that Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense stated that Ukrainian and NATO soldiers can learn a lot from each other.
The ministry called Ukraine’s experience in using drones and electronic warfare systems “unparalleled worldwide” and positively assessed Europe’s efforts to help repel Russian drone and missile attacks.
As previously reported, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk does not rule out the possibility that Russia plans to strike countries supporting Ukraine. According to D. Tusk, Russia intends to use drones and missiles for this, with Poland among possible targets. D. Tusk noted this information is based on intelligence data.
It was also reported that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposes establishing a European Security Council and including Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Canada in its activities alongside EU member states.
U. von der Leyen said this issue was discussed at the leaders’ level. In her opinion, given the current nature and scale of existing threats, creating such a format is even more relevant now.
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