Polish prime minister Donald Tusk says Russia is planning hybrid strikes with drones or missiles targeting Nato countries supporting Ukraine, potentially including Poland.
The warning came as “a massive attack on the western part of Ukraine – very close to the Polish border,” took place, with Poland repeatedly forced to scramble its aircraft.
While Poland’s airspace was not breached, Tusk warned that Russia was planning to strike Nato territory and then pretend the attack was "accidental".
This, he told the parliament, would be in a bid to "paralyse or at least weaken the motivation of Nato countries" to rush to the defence of the member state coming under attack.
Earlier on Thursday, Russian forces carried a barrage of attacks on Ukrainian cities, including a strike on an industrial park west of Kyiv that killed one person, a local official said.
And in Russia, a Ukrainian drone attack damaged an oil refinery in the city of Yaroslavl, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed.
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Key Points
- Explosions sound near Poland during Russian drone attack
- Polish prime minister defiantly announces plans to travel to Ukraine
- Zelensky confirms Ukraine attacked Russian oil refinery
- Fresh US sanctions against Russia could be 'game-changer’, says Miliband
- Russian general killed in drone attack days after being lauded for 'victory'
- UK armed forces member killed in Ukraine road traffic accident named by MoD
Regional polls open in Russia
06:16 , Namita SinghRegional polls have opened in Russia for the first parliamentary election since the country's war on Ukraine that began four years ago.
They come amid plummeting approval ratings for Vladimir Putin, mounting casualties on the frontline and minimal territorial gains in the grinding war.
The country’s electoral system is tightly controlled and Putin’s United Russia party is expected to retain its majority in the State Duma, which comprises 450 members. It currently has 310 seats and needs to win at least 300 in order to retain its supermajority.
Night strike on Odesa damages apartments in 19-storey residential building
05:22 , Namita SinghRussian barrage on Ukrainian cities leaves one dead in Kyiv
05:15 , Namita SinghRussian forces carried a barrage of attacks on Ukrainian cities on Thursday, including a strike on an industrial park west of Kyiv that killed one person, a local official said.
Russia's military had previously carried out most of its attacks at night, but in recent weeks it has expanded them to daylight hours.
Vitali Bunechko, governor of Zhytomyr region, said the industrial park strike occurred near the town of Korosten.
The Ukrainian capital underwent a series of air alerts through the day and its mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said one strike hit a non-residential building, injuring one person.
In the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said Russian forces attacked a market, triggering a large blaze.
Pictures posted on social media showed the fire reducing the area to charred ruins. No casualties were recorded.A Russian attack also caused a fire in the southeastern city of Dnipro, injuring two people.
Outgoing UN chief Guterres warns of Security Council paralysis
05:00 , Namita SinghDue to leave office at the end of this year, UN secretary-general António Guterres has warned that the "huge geopolitical divide" and paralysis in the Security Council have created an environment of impunity, with powerful countries flouting international law and the UN Charter.
He cited the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the attacks on Iran by the United States, both veto-wielding council members, as examples.
"Many countries say, 'If superpowers can violate the law, why can't we?"' the secretary-general said.
"And so what we are seeing around the world is more and more situations in which countries simply do not care. They do whatever they want, knowing that there will be total impunity."
The violations and impunity have caused death and enormous destruction, he said, and the combination of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the broader Middle East conflict are having "a dramatic impact" on the world economy.
Food and energy prices are going up, interest rates are rising and developing countries face enormous difficulties in responding to the needs of their people.
He expressed hope that these problems will force people to realise that the obstacles can't be eliminated alone and require international cooperation.
Russia will not indulge in peace talks ‘without total capitulation of Ukraine’
04:55 , Namita SinghPolish prime minister Donald Tusk said at the moment Russia was not ready for any peace talks "without the total capitulation of Ukraine."
"They are convinced the winter will be tragically critical for Ukraine," Tusk said. He said last winter Poland stepped in with deliveries when Ukraine's energy infrastructure came under attack, but if border crossings are destroyed, it will be much harder for Warsaw to offer such help this upcoming winter.
"Russia's goal is to destroy as much as possible the economy and logistics of Ukraine," Tusk said, adding that intelligence indicates continuous attacks of "very high frequency and intensity" on six main Ukrainian cities should be expected in the near future.
Tusk warns Nato of growing threat from Russian jet-powered drones
04:40 , Namita SinghPolish prime minister Donald Tusk said Russia was more dangerous because it was increasingly using jet-powered drones, which fly higher and faster and thus are more difficult to detect by air defence before reaching their targets.
Tusk has been for months warning that Russia might be preparing a more serious hybrid attack against a Nato country. His warnings have gotten increasingly specific as he received intelligence from Nato, Ukrainian and US secret services, including the CIA, he said.
In recent days, Tusk has said Russia was now focusing on attacking border crossings between Ukraine and its European neighbors in order to disrupt delivery lines to Ukraine.
Four such incidents happened on Poland's border with Ukraine in the past week and several others took place in the last weeks on Ukraine's border with Moldova.
Poland warns Russia is planning ‘accidental’ drone or rocket strikes on Nato territory
04:14 , Namita SinghPolish prime minister Donald Tusk warned on Thursday that Russia is planning hybrid strikes with drones or rockets on European countries supporting Ukraine, among them Poland.
Russia will pretend the attacks are "accidental" in order to "paralyse or at least weaken the motivation of Nato countries" to rush to the defence of the member state coming under attack, Tusk said in a speech to the Polish parliament.
"There is a real risk that drones or other types of projectiles will enter the territory of one or several countries on the eastern flank and even cause destruction," Tusk warned.
"The official narration will be that it's an accident and there is no reason for Nato to think about a response," he added.
Polish prime minister defiantly announces plans to travel to Ukraine
03:56 , Namita SinghPolish prime minister Donald Tusk announced on Thursday he would travel to Ukraine overnight to Friday, in what could be seen as an act of defiance against Russia after European leaders narrowly escaped a drone strike on a train near the Polish-Ukrainian border on Sunday. Officials usually keep their travel plans to Ukraine secret for security reasons.
In Kyiv, he said he would discuss with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky how to defend against new types of drones, as well as discuss further sanctions against Russia with partners including Slovakia.
Zelensky hails passing of Russian sanctions bill as 'extremely powerful tool'
03:00 , Alex CroftVolodymyr Zelensky has celebrated the passing of the Lindsay Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act in a statement on Thursday.
“It is symbolic that the US House of Representatives passed the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act on the night of yet another Russian attack on Ukraine with ballistic and other missiles and drones,” he wrote in a post on X.
“Once again, civilian infrastructure was targeted, with damage reported in eight regions. The Russians struck energy infrastructure in the Sumy and Odesa regions. In Kyiv and Odesa, ordinary residential buildings were hit. More than 10 people were injured, including children. Some were hospitalised. There were fires in many communities.
“The Lindsey Graham bill, along with other strong sanctions steps by our partners against the source of this war – against Russia – is an extremely powerful tool that can stop this terrorist war and bring Russia to the point where it has to make peace.
“Sanctions must be strong so that all efforts for peace – including our joint diplomatic efforts with the United States, Europe, and our other friends – can succeed. I thank the members of the House of Representatives, senators, and leaders of the US Congress for supporting this legislation. Russia needs to end this war.”
Romanian border residents fear fallout as frequency of drone alerts rises
01:29 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe text alerts blare first, then the blasts arrive.
For 48-year-old Robert Marian, who lives in Isaccea, a small Romanian border town in eastern Tulcea County along the Danube River with a crossing into Ukraine, the proximity of Russian drone strikes — just hundreds of meters across the river — has become a source of constant fear.
“There are alerts warning us that something is coming,” he told The Associated Press. “It happened two weeks ago, maybe three. I was asleep at midnight … One was quieter, but another was really loud. I got scared and ran out of the house.”
Romanian border residents fear fallout as frequency of drone alerts rises
Watch: Zelensky says Ukraine officials preparing for peace talks in US
Friday 18 September 2026 00:00 , Alex CroftTrump says progress made towards US army base in Poland
Thursday 17 September 2026 23:00 , Alex CroftPresident Donald Trump said on Thursday that progress is being made toward establishing a US Army base in Poland, crediting "the bold leadership" of Polish President Karol Nawrocki.
"If this happens, the location will be announced very soon. This will be a historic step for our Great U.S./Polish Alliance," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Poland has been pushing for a bigger allied presence on NATO's eastern flank after Russia's invasion of neighboring Ukraine in 2022.
Fresh US sanctions against Russia could be 'game-changer’, says Miliband
Thursday 17 September 2026 22:35 , Alex CroftA sweeping package of new US sanctions aimed at putting the financial squeeze on Russia’s ability to wage war against Ukraine “has the potential to be a game-changer”, foreign secretary Ed Miliband has said.
The passage of legislation through Congress, paving the way for the introduction of the punitive measures, was “a significant moment”, according to the Cabinet minister, who argued it would send “a clear message to the Kremlin”.
The bill, which cleared the House of Representatives this week having been passed by the Senate in August, now goes to US president Donald Trump to sign into law.
It is named after the late senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who championed its provisions on Capitol Hill.
The new sanctions legislation targets Russian officials, financial institutions and the “shadow fleet” of tankers used to ship Russian oil while dodging sanctions.
It also gives the president the power to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, such as China and India.
In a post on X, Mr Miliband said: “The passage of the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act by the US Congress is a significant moment.
“This legislation has the potential to be a game-changer, ramping up economic pressure on Russia.
“Congress is sending a clear message to the Kremlin: It’s time to negotiate now.”
UK armed forces member who died in Ukraine was decorated officer
Thursday 17 September 2026 22:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainA 40-year-old intelligence officer has died in a road collision in Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.
Major Paul Wilks was killed in a traffic accident away from the front lines on Saturday 12 September.
Having commissioned from Sandhurst in 2012, he spent his entire military career serving in the Intelligence Corps.
UK armed forces member killed in Ukraine road traffic accident named
Europe closer than ever to large-scale war, says Slovak PM
Thursday 17 September 2026 21:01 , Alex CroftEurope is closer than ever to a large-scale war erupting from the war in Ukraine and politicians must strive for peace, Slovak prime minister Robert Fico said on Thursday.
The comments came as he planned to visit Ukraine for a meeting of several European leaders.
Fico, who has kept warm relations with Russia, said a drone incursion could spark the activation of Nato's common defence clause and he wanted to prevent Slovakia from becoming part of an armed conflict.
Tusk says Russia planning hybrid drone and missile strikes on countries supporting Ukraine
Thursday 17 September 2026 20:00 , Alex CroftPolish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told parliament that Russia was planning hybrid drone and missile strikes against countries supporting Ukraine, including Poland, according to intelligence agencies.
He did not specify which intelligence agencies he was citing.
Later on Thursday evening, the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency said in a post on X on Thursday that due to the operations of military aviation, airports in Lublin and Rzeszow in south-eastern Poland have again temporarily suspended air operations.
India vows to protect its interests as US prepares 100% tariffs for countries importing Russian oil
Thursday 17 September 2026 19:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe US house of representatives on Wednesday passed a major sanctions and tariff bill to intensify economic pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, allowing the Donald Trump administration to impose strict tariffs of up to 100 per cent on nations like India.
This is done to reduce the dependence of India and other buyers on Russian oil, as well as to extend sanctions on Iran. The bill is awaiting Mr Trump’s signature after which it will be signed into a law.
India has vowed to remain committed to ensuring its energy security after US lawmakers approved the legislation that heavily penalises buyers of Russian oil and gas.
US prepares 100% tariffs for countries importing Russian oil
Watch: Zelensky says Ukraine officials preparing for peace talks in US
Thursday 17 September 2026 18:15 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson resigns after election loss
Thursday 17 September 2026 17:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will resign after the left-leaning opposition won a narrow majority in the country's parliamentary election.
The Swedish Election Authority said the four opposition parties won 176 seats in the 349-seat parliament in Stockholm, the Riksdag, in Sunday’s election. The four parties that make up or support the outgoing conservative-led government took 173 seats.
Shortly after the final results were announced, Kristersson said he would resign as the head of government in a letter to the parliament’s speaker posted on social media.
Sweden’s prime minister resigns after election loss
War between Russia and Europe would be ‘very short’, Putin’s foreign minister warns
Thursday 17 September 2026 17:15 , Maryam Zakir-HussainRussia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has warned a war with Europe would be “very short”, amid mounting tensions with Moscow.
Lavrov insisted Russia has “no interest” in attacking Western countries but that if it were attacked first, it would retaliate and the outcome would be swift.
“Russia has repeatedly said that we are not going to attack Western countries and have no interest in doing so,” he said in comments made at the International Youth Festival in Yekaterinburg on Wednesday.
War between Russia and Europe would be ‘very short’, Putin’s foreign minister warns
Polish PM Tusk warns of hybrid Russian drone and missile strikes on Poland and Ukraine supporters
Thursday 17 September 2026 16:40 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPolish prime minister Donald Tusk told parliament on Thursday that, according to intelligence agencies, Russia was planning hybrid drone and missile strikes against countries supporting Ukraine, including Poland.
He did not specify which intelligence agencies he was citing.
Poland scrambles jets after Russian attack on west Ukraine
Thursday 17 September 2026 15:53 , Maryam Zakir-HussainRussia bombarded Kyiv and other cities with missiles and drones overnight, and neighbouring NATO member Poland scrambled jets after a Russian daytime attack in western Ukraine, officials said on Thursday.
Over 20 people were injured in the overnight strikes, Ukrainian officials said, following attacks carried out after the US Congress approved a major sanctions bill targeting Moscow.
Sirens sounded on Thursday in eastern Poland and two Polish airports temporarily suspended flights after Russia launched its attack in western Ukraine, close to the border with Poland, Polish and Ukrainian authorities said.
"A massive attack on the western part of Ukraine very close to the Polish border has just ended," Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
The Polish army said no violation of Polish airspace had been registered and that military aircraft had finished their operations.
The airports in Rzeszow and Lublin reopened after their temporary closure.
What Putin’s war in Ukraine means for Russian elections this week
Thursday 17 September 2026 15:07 , Maryam Zakir-HussainRussia is holding its first parliamentary elections this week since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago.
They come amid plummeting approval ratings for Vladimir Putin, mounting casualties on the frontline and minimal territorial gains in the grinding war.
The country’s electoral system is tightly controlled and Putin’s United Russia party is expected to retain its majority in the State Duma, which comprises 450 members. It currently has 310 seats and needs to win at least 300 in order to retain its supermajority.
Maira Butt reports:
What Putin’s war in Ukraine means for Russian elections this week
Russian missile and drone attacks injure at least 19, including children, in Ukraine
Thursday 17 September 2026 14:44 , Maryam Zakir-HussainA Russian barrage of missiles and drones targeting Ukraine's capital and the surrounding region injured at least 19 people overnight and into Thursday morning, authorities said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces carried out overnight strikes against targets in Russia, including an oil refinery in Yaroslavl and a military airfield in the Rostov region.
Peace efforts to end Russia’s 4 1/2-year full-scale invasion have stalled, with the issue of territorial concessions in eastern Ukraine among the central sticking points.
Successive rounds of U.S.-brokered talks have failed to produce a breakthrough.
Ukraine is also seeking security guarantees from partners for a deal.
U.S. President Donald Trump claimed in a post on social media on Monday that Russia and Ukraine had mutually agreed to cease attacking each other's energy facilities, strikes that have led to significant supply issues in both countries.
In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, Zelensky pushed back on Trump's claim, saying that while an energy truce was discussed during a recent meeting in Kyiv with Trump’s representatives, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, he would only enter such an agreement if Russia ceases its attacks on Ukrainian energy sites.
Explosions sound near Ukraine-Polish border during Russian drone attack, official says
Thursday 17 September 2026 13:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainExplosions sounded several kilometres from Ukraine's border with NATO member Poland on Thursday during a daytime Russian drone attack, a Ukrainian official told Reuters.
Separately, the country's border guard service said there was no damage to border crossings after the attack.
On Sunday, a Russian drone hit a passenger train just two kilometres from Ukraine-Polish border.
India vows to protect its interests as US prepares 100% tariffs for countries importing Russian oil
Thursday 17 September 2026 13:06 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe US house of representatives on Wednesday passed a major sanctions and tariff bill to intensify economic pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, allowing the Donald Trump administration to impose strict tariffs of up to 100 per cent on nations like India.
This is done to reduce the dependence of India and other buyers on Russian oil, as well as to extend sanctions on Iran. The bill is awaiting Mr Trump’s signature after which it will be signed into a law.
India has vowed to remain committed to ensuring its energy security after US lawmakers approved the legislation that heavily penalises buyers of Russian oil and gas.
US prepares 100% tariffs for countries importing Russian oil
Watch: Zelensky shares footage saying oil refinery north of Moscow hit by overnight drone strikes
Thursday 17 September 2026 12:50 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIn pictures: Aftermath of a Russian drone strike in Kyiv
Thursday 17 September 2026 12:00 , Maira Butt
Ukraine 'preparing meetings in US with our partners', says Zelensky
Thursday 17 September 2026 11:30 , Maira ButtUkraine is preparing for discussions in the US, according to president Volodymyr Zelensky in a nightly address released on Wednesday night.
“We are preparing meetings in the U.S. with our partners. This concerns negotiations – bringing peace closer – and some other important issues, including energy, food security, and weapons,” he said.
“There will be new support packages for Ukraine, air defence in particular.”
We are preparing meetings in the U.S. with our partners. This concerns negotiations – bringing peace closer – and some other important issues, including energy, food security, and weapons. There will be new support packages for Ukraine, air defense in particular. pic.twitter.com/bVirqfsc1h
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 16, 2026
India vows to protect its interests as US prepares 100% tariffs for countries importing Russian oil
Thursday 17 September 2026 11:23 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe US house of representatives on Wednesday passed a major sanctions and tariff bill to intensify economic pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, allowing the Donald Trump administration to impose strict tariffs of up to 100 per cent on nations like India.
This is done to reduce the dependence of India and other buyers on Russian oil, as well as to extend sanctions on Iran. The bill is awaiting Mr Trump’s signature after which it will be signed into a law.
India has vowed to remain committed to ensuring its energy security after US lawmakers approved the legislation that heavily penalises buyers of Russian oil and gas.
US prepares 100% tariffs for countries importing Russian oil
Full story: UK armed forces member killed in Ukraine road traffic accident named by MoD
Thursday 17 September 2026 11:00 , Maira ButtA 40-year-old intelligence officer has died in a road collision in Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.
Major Paul Wilks was killed in a traffic accident away from the front lines on Saturday 12 September.
Having commissioned from Sandhurst in 2012, he spent his entire military career serving in the Intelligence Corps.
UK armed forces member killed in Ukraine road traffic accident named
Russian forces hit vessels used by Ukrainian military, defence ministry says
Thursday 17 September 2026 10:30 , Maira ButtRussian forces struck overnight vessels used by the Ukrainian military, the Russian defence ministry said on Thursday.
War between Russia and Europe would be ‘very short’, Putin’s foreign minister warns
Thursday 17 September 2026 10:00 , Maira ButtRussia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has warned a war with Europe would be “very short”, amid mounting tensions with Moscow.
Lavrov insisted Russia has “no interest” in attacking Western countries but that if it were attacked first, it would retaliate and the outcome would be swift.
“Russia has repeatedly said that we are not going to attack Western countries and have no interest in doing so,” he said in comments made at the International Youth Festival in Yekaterinburg on Wednesday.
War between Russia and Europe would be ‘very short’, Putin’s foreign minister warns
Romanian border residents fear fallout as frequency of drone alerts rises
Thursday 17 September 2026 09:30 , Maira ButtThe text alerts blare first, then the blasts arrive.
For 48-year-old Robert Marian, who lives in Isaccea, a small Romanian border town in eastern Tulcea County along the Danube River with a crossing into Ukraine, the proximity of Russian drone strikes — just hundreds of meters across the river — has become a source of constant fear.
“There are alerts warning us that something is coming,” he told The Associated Press. “It happened two weeks ago, maybe three. I was asleep at midnight … One was quieter, but another was really loud. I got scared and ran out of the house.”
Romanian border residents fear fallout as frequency of drone alerts rises
Watch: UK armed forces member killed in road crash in Ukraine, says MoD
Thursday 17 September 2026 09:00 , Maira ButtZelensky confirms Ukraine attacked Russian oil refinery
Thursday 17 September 2026 08:50 , Maryam Zakir-HussainVolodymr Zelensky has confirmed Ukraine’s attack on a Russian oil refinery as he hailed “good results in the Black Sea”.
In a post on X, Ukraine’s president wrote: “Last night, in a joint operation by the Security Service of Ukraine, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, and the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Yaroslavl oil refinery was hit.”
He added: “The Security Service also carried out a precise strike on a military airfield in Rostov – the damage to an An-12, two An-26s, and three helicopters has been confirmed.”
I thank our warriors, who make Russia feel the war every day. Last night, in a joint operation by the Security Service of Ukraine, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, and the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Yaroslavl oil refinery was hit. The… pic.twitter.com/lQM7MrpBA3
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 17, 2026
Ukraine drone attack damages oil refinery in Russia's Yaroslavl, governor says
Thursday 17 September 2026 08:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainA Ukrainian drone attack damaged an oil refinery in the Russian city of Yaroslavl, causing a fire that was later doused, regional governor Mikhail Yevrayev said on Thursday.
Authorities in Russia's southern region of Krasnodar said a fire broke out at an industrial site after drone debris fell on it.
No injuries were reported and the fire was quickly put out.
Russia and Ukraine have exchanged strikes on infrastructure and other economic targets in recent months, seeking to disrupt each other's war efforts and undermine morale.
The extent of damage at the Yaroslavl refinery was not immediately clear. The YANOS plant in Yaroslavl is owned by Slavneft, which is jointly controlled by Rosneft and Gazprom Neft.
Located about 250 km (155 miles) northeast of Moscow, the refinery has been a previous target of Ukrainian drones.
