Russia
🇲🇩 Pro-Western President Maia Sandu leads Moldova’s crucial runoff election with 50.28% of votes counted, amid Russian interference claims. Her EU-focused vision faces off against Stoianoglo’s East-West balancing act in this pivotal moment for the nation.
🇫🇮 Finland sets historic precedent as Russian paramilitary leader faces trial for 2014 Ukraine war crimes. Yan Petrovsky, under EU sanctions, accused of killing 22 Ukrainian soldiers while commanding Rusich unit in Luhansk.
🇲🇩 Moldova courts validate historic EU referendum despite vote-buying scandal, with razor-thin 50.35% victory. Pro-Russian forces resist as President Sandu heads to runoff, marking pivotal moment in post-Soviet nation’s Western pivot.
🇺🇦 Ukraine deploys dozens of AI-powered drone systems to counter Russian signal jamming, with one maker selling 15,000 targeting software units. These autonomous drones achieve 80% hit rates vs 30% for manual pilots, marking a major shift in modern warfare tech.
🇺🇸 US reveals intel showing 8,000 North Korean troops stationed in Russia’s Kursk region - Moscow silent on direct question at UN, while US and China clash over Beijing’s alleged support for Russia’s subpar defense industry.
🇬🇪 Georgian opposition demands protests after HarrisX pollster declares ruling party’s 54% victory “statistically impossible” with 172,523 unexplained votes - crucial election could determine country’s pivot between Russia and EU alignment.
🇰🇵 North Korea flexes military muscle with record-breaking 87-minute ICBM test as Kim warns enemies - launch comes amid controversy over 11,000 troops sent to Russia, with Seoul fearing Moscow will share advanced missile tech in return.
🇺🇦 Zelenskiy slams allies' inaction over 8,000 North Korean troops deployed in Russia’s Kursk region, warning Putin will escalate foreign fighter recruitment amid mounting Ukrainian frustration over Western support levels as US election looms.
🇷🇺 Russia’s UN envoy Nebenzia brazenly “defends” military cooperation with North Korea at Security Council meeting, claiming interactions don’t violate international law despite global concern over growing alliance.
🇺🇦 Russian guided bomb devastates 9-story residential building in Kharkiv, injuring at least 12 people. Mayor Terekhov warns more civilians could be trapped under rubble as rescue efforts continue in Ukraine’s second-largest city.
🇷🇺 Putin stages massive nuclear response drill, launching missiles from land, sea and air amid critical phase in Ukraine war. Kremlin flexes military muscle as NATO confirms North Korean troops on Russian soil. Putin warns of “growing geopolitical tensions.”
🇬🇪 Biden condemns Georgia’s election fraud amid ruling party’s 54% victory claim, citing voter intimidation and resource misuse. West fears Tbilisi’s tilt toward Moscow as protests erupt and EU, NATO demand investigation into polling irregularities.
🇺🇦 Russian overnight drone barrage hits Ukraine’s largest cities: 4 killed in Kharkiv residential attack, 6 injured in Kyiv as debris rains down. Ukrainian forces shot down 26 of 48 drones launched. Historic Derzhprom building also damaged in separate guided bomb strike.
🇺🇸 Pentagon won’t restrict Ukraine’s use of US weapons if North Korea enters the fight, as NATO confirms 10,000 NK troops are now in Russia’s Kursk region. Biden calls it “very dangerous” while Ukraine urges allies to lift long-range strike limits.
🇬🇪 Thousands storm Georgia’s streets as pro-Russian Georgian Dream claims 54% election win. President calls it “Russian special operation,” opposition alleges fraud, and West demands probe into vote-buying and intimidation as EU hopes fade.
🇬🇪 Hungary’s Orban makes surprise visit to Georgia after disputed election, backing pro-Russian Georgian Dream party’s contested 54% win. President Zourabichvili calls result a “Russian special operation” and urges protests as West demands probe.
🇺🇦 Russian forces unleashed devastating attacks on Kharkiv region, injuring 21 civilians including 5 children in multiple strikes on residential areas. Kharkiv city and nearby Chuhuiv both hit, while two killed in separate Kherson shelling.
🇺🇦 Australian mercenary in Ukraine warns of dire escalation as Russia makes critical gains, North Korean troops join the fight, and Ukraine’s key city Pokrovsk faces encirclement. With Western aid uncertain, fighter says “Ukraine won’t exist… not as we know it.”
🇱🇹 Social Democrats secure victory in Lithuania’s election with 52 seats, promising to maintain strong defense spending amid Russian threats while tackling wealth inequality. PM Simonyte’s coalition falls as cost-of-living crisis bites.
🇷🇺 Putin warns West against helping Ukraine strike deep into Russia, signaling potential major escalation as Russian forces advance in Donetsk. Russia’s changed nuclear doctrine and NATO involvement could transform this regional conflict into a global showdown.