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Hungary
Sep 19, 2025 President Trump announced yesterday that designates antifa a terrorist organization. Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán said in comments to state radio today that he was pleased by Trump’s announcement. “In Hungary, too, the time has come for us to classify organizations such as antifa as terrorist organizations, following the American model”, he said. Orbán referenced a 2023 incident in which antifa activists engaged in assaults against several suspected participants in an annual 'far-right' event in Budapest. One of the ’alleged’ assailants, Italian antifa activist Salis, was jailed in Hungary for over a year following the assaults. Salis was released to house arrest in May 2024 before winning a seat in the European Parliament, as a result of which she gained legal immunity. Orbán today 'bemoaned' Salis’ release, saying antifa had ’come to Hungary and beaten peaceful people in the street, some were beaten half to death, and then they became European members of parliament and from there lecture Hungary on the rule of law.’ Hungary continues to demand that Salis be returned to face trial, where prosecutors have sought an 11-year sentence. (Source: HuffPost – U.S.)
by 'Spike
Poland
September 18, 2025 Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski suggested that if Kyiv were to ask NATO to shoot down drones or missiles over its territory, NATO should consider it. A Ukrainian no-fly zone has been promoted by Zelensky since shortly after Russia launched its unprovoked invasion in February 2022. The danger of such a zone is that it would necessarily invite escalation. If Russia decided to violate the declaration and fly its aircraft over Ukraine, NATO forces would be forced either to abandon the no-fly zone, showing their proclamations to be toothless, or to shoot the Russian aircraft down, inviting a broader war between Russia and NATO. For these reasons, former President Biden turned down the request. The idea has been repeatedly rejected over fears that it would inevitably result in an open confrontation between the two sides. As a result of recent Russian drone incursions into Poland, NATO increased its defense posture, dubbed “Eastern Sentry.” But a NATO-enforced no-fly zone over Ukraine appears highly unlikely. The Kremlin has not commented on the build-up of NATO forces in Poland, but it has made clear that any NATO strikes against Russia’s drones or missiles in Ukraine would be seen as its direct involvement in the conflict. Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council Medvedev, who previously served as Russia’s president and prime minister, was direct in a post on the Telegram social messaging app on Monday. 'The implementation of the provocative idea of Kyiv and other idiots about creating a ‘no-fly zone over Ukraine and the ability for NATO countries to shoot down our UAVs will mean only one thing - a war between NATO and Russia,' Medvedev wrote. He added, “Things must be called by their proper names!” So a No-Fly Zone over Ukraine probably isn’t practical. (Source: The National Interest - U.S.)
17.09.2025 Polish F-16 missile, not Russian drone, hit house in Lublin region, in the village of Wyryki Wola, near the Belarusian border last week, according to local daily Rzeczpospolita. Prosecutor's office withholds confirmation of missile's origin, citing ongoing investigation. (Source: Anadolu Agenvy - Turkey)
Russia
September 18, 2025 Zapad-2025 included exercises on land, sea, and in the air. Russian President Putin attended it this week, spotted wearing camouflage fatigues at the Mulino training ground in the Nizhny Novgorod Region. The exercises have officially involved approximately 13,000 troops. It has included soldiers from more than a dozen nations, with the majority being from Russia and Belarus. Military personnel from a range of Russian-sympathetic countries —including Burkina Faso, Congo, Mali, Iran, Niger, and Tajikistan—participated directly in the exercises. Cambodia, China, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North Korea, Pakistan, Serbia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Uzbekistan have sent observers. Two US military officers were spotted at the drills as observers as well. (Source: The National Interest - U.S.)
6:51 pm, September 18, 2025 For years, Putin has lauded veterans of the Ukraine invasion, and the Kremlin has launched multiple programs designed to integrate returned soldiers into Russia’s political establishment, dubbing them the nation’s new elite. In remarks to Russia’s parliamentary faction leaders today, Putin described veterans of the war in Ukraine as “our successors,” endorsing their advancement to senior positions across government. “I am confident they will make a positive contribution to the work of political parties, both locally and centrally, in the State Duma and in federal agencies,” Putin said. The president’s comments follow regional elections that concluded over the weekend, during which 1,616 military veterans participated as candidates, 830 of whom were nominated by the ruling political party, United Russia, and subsequently won office. (Source: Meduza - based in Riga, Latvia / Kommersant - Russia)
September 17, 2025 The Ukrainian forces are gradually losing territory to the advancing Russian military. Russian Ground Forces (RGF) likely seized between 450 and 500 sq km of territory in August 2025, a moderate decrease from the approximately 500-550 sq km in July 2025, and the approximately 550-600 sq km taken in June 2025, the British Ministry of Defence assessed. The Russian command has shifted away from human wave attacks to attacking with small infantry assault groups supported by artillery, glide bombs, and uncrewed aerial systems - in effect combined arms operations, according to the British Ministry of Defence. This change in tactics has resulted in a decrease in monthly casualties since March. (Source: The National Interest - U.S.)
Serbia
17.09.2025. The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) announced on 15 September that it had information suggesting that the unrest in Serbia, with the active participation of young people, is largely the product of subversive activities by the European Union (EU) and its member states, and that the Euro-elite is ready to use the anniversary of the tragedy in Novi Sad on 1 November to turn the situation in its favor. President Vučić yesterday thanked the SVR and said Serbian institutions would contact them for further details. The European Commission has rejected the accusations of 'the unrest in Serbia'. Allegations that the EU or member states are encouraging the protests are simply not true, said the European Commission's written response. “I have no doubt that those who organised the colour revolution cannot just give up. Too much money has been invested, so they will have to have a final attempt to take power by force', Vučić said. Pro-government media extensively reported on the SVR statement. (Source: European Western Balcans - Serbia)
Ukraine
18.09.2025 Zelenskyy signs law ratifying '100-Year Partnership' deal between Ukraine and UK. His signature comes a day after parliament voted to support ratification of deal signed in Kyiv back in January. The two countries will deepen defense cooperation while addressing long-term threats and challenges to maritime security. It will also strengthen cooperation in areas such as economics and trade, energy, climate change, and clean energy transitions. (Source: Anadolu Agency - Turkey)
Thursday 18 September 2025 05:56 BST Ukraine anticipates a substantial $3.5 billion by next month for a critical fund to procure US weapons. The financial mechanism, officially termed the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), consolidates contributions from NATO members, except the United States, to facilitate the acquisition of American-made weapons, munitions, and equipment. The shipments would encompass missiles for Patriot air defence missile systems and munitions for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), which 'have significantly bolstered the Ukrainian military’s precision-strike capability'. (Source: The Independent - United Kingdom)
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
Friday, September 19, 2025 His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, archbishop of Constantinople and New Rome and the ecumenical patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and most honorable exarch of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, explore today’s pressing global challenges - particularly regional instability, climate change, and the displacement of refugees - and the moral duty of faith communities to engage and help address these issues. Townsend, member of the CFR Board of Directors, moderates the conversation. (Source: The Council on Foreign Relations - U.S.)
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Africa
18 September 2025 Google is planning four new infrastructure hubs across Africa to support its latest underwater fibre-optic cables. The hubs will consist of landing stations and data centres, connecting subsea cables to the north, west, south, and east of the continent. Google's Equiano and Umoja cables are expected to land this year, and the hubs will be completed within three years. The company’s Africa managing director, Okosi, told Bloomberg TV the investment is fully funded by Google, noting only that the company has already surpassed the $1 billion it pledged to spend in Africa between 2021 and 2026. The hubs are slated for completion within three years. Global tech giants race to expand digital infrastructure in Africa. Microsoft Corp. is developing a $1 billion geothermal-powered data centre in Kenya and investing about $300 million to expand its artificial intelligence capacity in South Africa. (Source: Business Insider – Nigeria)
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