Russia

An international network allegedly recruited American and foreign nationals to conduct surveillance, carry out assassinations, and target infrastructure in European countries supporting Ukraine. Authorities say they disrupted a Russian plot against a Vladimir Putin opponent living in Washington.

According to CNN, Russia provided Iran with satellite intelligence on U.S. assets and bases in the Middle East. Fourteen Russian satellites passed over a base in Saudi Arabia shortly before it was hit in an Iranian attack.

Iran has asked Russia for advanced Geran-family drones to use against Israel and the United States. The newer models can reach speeds of 600 kph, carry heavier warheads, and use advanced guidance systems that include artificial intelligence.

German police bomb squads defused the devices found near the Graustein site in the Görlitz district of eastern Germany. A week ago, Germany accused Russia of attempting to target a power station with drones.

Russian authorities rejected the Israeli airline’s request to fly to St. Petersburg instead of Moscow, which has faced Ukrainian attacks. In Israel, officials believe Russia is "retaliating" for the ban on the Russian national carrier landing at Ben Gurion Airport.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow and Kyiv must ultimately reach an agreement themselves, while other countries could help facilitate the process. He said the United States, China, and other nations are prepared to support a settlement.

A Financial Times investigation reveals a covert program launched in 2023, in which Russian engineers and companies have been helping Iran develop an engine for deadly supersonic cruise missiles.

Improvised explosive and incendiary devices were found near an energy facility in Brandenburg following reports of rocket fire and damage to a power line. At the same time, Germany is preparing to hold Russian intelligence responsible for an alleged attack attempt in Leipzig.

Thousands of migrants remain in the Spanish enclave after roughly 70,000 people entered from Morocco, heightening tensions in the city. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says Israel and Russia exploited the crisis to spread false information.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow and proposed a three-way summit with Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy to help end the war in Ukraine. He also warned Russia not to attack any country connected to the NATO alliance.

Russian officials are asking the UN to intervene in the case of historian Artyom Kirpichyonok. His associates say he was detained by the Shin Bet, while activists say no reason for his detention has been made public and no charges have been filed.

A Russian military officer with the rank equivalent to a lieutenant colonel was killed when an explosive device attached to his car detonated. His wife was seriously injured. The Kremlin called it "an operation by Ukrainian intelligence."

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has reportedly been warned by intelligence officials that the United Kingdom could face Russian retaliation over the government’s support for Ukraine. The concern: Russia may target British infrastructure.

A U.S. Air Force C-17 landed in Moscow after passing through Latvia, but the purpose of the flight has not been disclosed. The Kremlin says it has no information, while U.S. officials have not yet offered an official explanation.

Germany is planning to invest nearly €12 billion in a long-range weapons network meant to deter Russia. The plan includes American Tomahawks, systems developed with Britain, and a cruise missile from an American-Israeli company being evaluated in Berlin.

According to a British report, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to cancel an operation inside Russia targeting its oil industry. The reason: avoiding turmoil in the global energy market and protecting American economic interests.

Syria says it has reached a “memorandum of understanding” with Russia on the future of Russia’s presence at two strategic bases along Syria’s coast: the naval facility in Tartus and the air base in Hmeimim.

A North Korean missile unit is set to be stationed in Russia as military cooperation between the two countries expands during the war in Ukraine. Russia launched ballistic missiles and about 150 drones at Ukrainian cities.

Three people were killed and at least 21 injured in an explosion near a restaurant in central Moscow. Russian authorities are investigating whether the device was detonated remotely, while the identity of those responsible and the motive remain unknown.

Officials in Kyiv are urging Israelis to cancel trips to Uman because of the danger to life, warning of “strict emergency measures, a nighttime curfew, and severe shortages of shelters and medical services.”