Term
Mobilisation
Mobilisation is the process by which a state rapidly brings together troops, institutions and resources for defence or other emergency tasks. Drills test whether that system would work in practice.
28 September 2026
Archived edition
Lithuania
Summary
Lithuania will activate warning sirens at selected drill sites on Tuesday during the Vyčio skliautas 2026 mobilisation exercise. The Defence Ministry says the exercise runs from September 25 to October 3, and officials yesterday carried out the first full test of the state evacuation plan across 30 municipalities.
Two Lithuanian security tracks are running in Brussels today. Defence minister Robertas Kaunas is meeting EU counterparts on more military aid for Ukraine and Russia’s hybrid campaigns, while the prime minister is holding talks with the European Commission president and the NATO secretary general on air defence. President Gitanas Nausėda said a US heavy battalion will be in Lithuania, after saying over the past day that the returning US rotation could be about 1,000 troops. A former Biden administration official told LRT that the war is already reaching Lithuania through drones, communications interference and sabotage risks on NATO’s eastern flank.
At the Belarus border, guards in the Šalčininkai district intercepted two more drones carrying illicit tobacco on Monday. The State Border Guard Service has now seized 60 such drones this year, one more than in all of last year. Lithuania’s heating season starts today, opening means-tested compensation for heating, hot water and drinking water costs for low-income residents until April 30. Lithuania’s women’s table tennis team also won Nordic-Baltic Championship gold, ending a 24-year wait.
Border guards at Purvėnai intercepted two drones carrying cigarettes from Belarus within a few hours. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia has already begun an additional mobilization drive. The mayor of Prienai was convicted in the receipts case and barred from office for three years.
sources: tv3.lt, 15min.lt, delfi.lt, vz.lt, lrt.lt, lrytas.lt
Worth knowing
Top stories
Politics
On Tuesday sirens will sound: this is part of the drills
Sirens will be switched on at selected drill sites across Lithuania on September 29 as part of the national exercise Vyčio skliautas 2026. The Defence Ministry says the wider drill runs from September 25 to October 3 and is testing mobilisation readiness and coordination between state bodies. On September 26, civil protection teams also ran the first full test of the state evacuation plan, simulating moves from 30 municipalities to 30 others. Officials say the sirens and phone alerts are there to check whether the warning system works in practice.
Why it matters
People are affected because these drills test whether warning sirens and mobile alerts would actually reach them in time. For municipalities and rescue services, the exercises expose weak points in evacuation routes, communications and command chains.
Who benefits
The Defence Ministry, the Fire and Rescue Department and municipal crisis teams gain, while weak warning infrastructure and unprepared agencies are put under pressure.
What's next
Sirens and the public warning system will be tested at drill sites on September 29, and Vyčio skliautas 2026 runs until October 3.
sources:delfi.lt
Politics
Border guard shot down two more drones flown from Belarus
On September 28, 2026, border guards in the Šalčininkai district intercepted two drones that crossed from Belarus carrying illicit tobacco. The State Border Guard Service has now seized 60 drones this year along the Belarus frontier, one more than in all of last year. 15min said the drones were stopped within hours, with the operation taking place in the Purvėnai border sector. The tally shows how quickly smugglers have shifted to small drones to move cigarettes across the border.
Why it matters
The drone smuggling forces border units in the Šalčininkai area to spend more time on detection, interception and searches for dropped cargo. It also keeps customs and police tied up with illegal cigarette flows and the tax loss they create.
sources:15min.lt
Politics
Deadly strike on Kyiv's Academy of Sciences: a woman killed and 3 others injured
A Russian drone hit the National Academy of Sciences in central Kyiv on Sept. 28, setting off a fire that killed a woman and wounded three people. (15min.lt) The strike landed in the heart of the capital, close to the German embassy, the cathedral, the opera house and government buildings. (15min.lt) Video and eyewitness images showed thick black smoke and flames tearing through the historic building, with rescuers pulling people out through windows. (15min.lt) Kyiv officials said the injured were taken for treatment as firefighters worked to contain the damage. (devdiscourse.com)
Why it matters
Civilians in Kyiv and staff at central institutions face direct risk when strikes reach not just apartments but state and research buildings. (15min.lt) Damage in the city core also complicates work at one of Ukraine’s key scientific bodies and raises the repair burden on an already strained capital. (15min.lt)
sources:15min.lt
Economy
Residents to see changes from October 1: here is who gets more money
From October 1, Lithuania enters the heating season, which opens the door to housing, hot water and drinking water compensation for low-income residents. The scheme runs until April 30 and is based on household income and assets. Municipalities pay the support for the previous period, so the first top-ups reach recipients after the season starts. The biggest winners are households facing the sharpest jump in heating bills this autumn and winter.
Why it matters
The compensation trims bills for pensioners, people living alone and low-income families, for whom heating is often the biggest winter expense. Municipal welfare offices will face a wave of applications, while the support should make utility bills more manageable for the most vulnerable households.
sources:tv3.lt
Politics
Robertas from Kaunas in Brussels with EU colleagues discusses increasing military aid to Ukraine
Lithuanian defence minister Robertas Kaunas is in Brussels on September 28 for an EU foreign affairs council meeting focused on defence. The main item is boosting military aid to Ukraine, with Ukrainian defence minister Jevhenij Chmara set to join remotely. Ministers are also due to discuss Russia's hybrid campaigns and the security fallout from the Middle East. The meeting is one of the EU's latest attempts to line up more sustained support for Kyiv. (kam.lt)
Why it matters
Ukraine's army needs money, weapons and quicker EU decisions to keep ammunition, air defence and spare parts flowing. For EU capitals, that means higher defence spending and more pressure to line up joint purchases faster. (kam.lt)
sources:15min.lt
Politics
Exclusive interview with former Biden administration official warns Lithuania war is no longer beyond the border
A former Biden administration official told LRT this week that Russia’s war against Ukraine is already closer to Lithuania, pointing to a rise in hybrid incidents on NATO’s eastern flank. He tied that warning to drones, communications interference and the threat of sabotage against critical infrastructure. The backdrop is a fresh U.S. troop rotation back into Lithuania, which President Gitanas Nausėda said would likely be about 1,000 soldiers, while Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius asked for clearer numbers and arrival dates. The message from Washington and Vilnius is the same: deterrence in the Baltics now depends on rapid allied response, not just border defence.
Why it matters
Lithuanian armed forces, energy firms and telecom operators face more pressure to protect airspace, cables and data networks from lower-level attacks. A U.S. troop presence matters not just for deterrence, but because it buys allies more time to react if an incident breaks.
sources:tv3.lt
Europe
Summary
Russian strikes on Ukraine widened over the past day, with a bomb hitting an apartment block in Kharkiv and injuring children and other civilians. Ukraine says Russia has launched more than 2,200 attack drones and about 1,650 aerial bombs this week alone. A Russian drone strike also set part of Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences on fire.
In northern Donetsk region, Ukraine says Operation Vivaldi has reached a turning point after its forces captured more than 250 Russian troops. 3rd Army Corps commander Andriy Biletsky said Ukrainian units retook Nove, Ridkodub and Katerynivka, restored control over Karpivka and Novomykhailivka, and gained another 51 square km. Kyiv says total gains since the operation began have reached 176 square km, while Russian losses in that sector stand at about 2,000 troops.
In Brussels, EU defence ministers are meeting today to discuss more military support for Ukraine, Russia’s hybrid campaigns and the effect of Middle East tensions on European defence. Pressure on Russian energy infrastructure also continued after a Ukrainian strike set the Ilsky oil refinery in Krasnodar region on fire, while Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said two other industrial sites were also ablaze.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Russia is offering $20 million through post-Soviet criminal networks for the whereabouts of Robert Brovdi, the commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces. Brovdi said today that Russia could add about 300,000 troops to the front by the end of this year through recruitment and by replacing losses.
A Russian drone struck near the Ukraine-Poland border, prompting fighter jets to scramble. In Ukraine, six people were killed in Russia's attack on the Dnipropetrovsk region, while air defenses shot down 86 of 124 Russian drones over the day.
sources: tv3.lt, 15min.lt, delfi.lt, lrt.lt, vz.lt
Worth knowing
Term
European Defence Agency
The European Defence Agency is an EU body that helps member states cooperate on capabilities, procurement and defence technology. It serves as a coordination hub for joint European defence projects.
Top stories
Politics
Russians attacked Kharkiv: bomb hit apartment building, children among the injured
A Russian bomb hit an apartment block in Kharkiv, wounding children as well as other civilians. The strike came as Russia has unleashed more than 2,200 attack drones and about 1,650 aerial bombs against Ukraine this week, keeping Kharkiv and other eastern cities under constant pressure. Earlier this year, Russian strikes on Kharkiv have already hit residential buildings and killed civilians, including children. The latest attack again targeted a densely populated part of the city, where rescue crews typically search rubble and assess whether the building can still be used.
Why it matters
For Kharkiv residents, the danger is immediate: apartment blocks and family homes are being hit, not just military targets. The strikes also pile pressure on hospitals, rescue crews and city authorities that have to evacuate residents and secure damaged buildings.
Who benefits
Russia’s military campaign gains from the pressure on Ukrainian cities, while Kharkiv civilians, rescue workers and municipal emergency services bear the costs.
What's next
Kharkiv regional and city authorities must now report the condition of the injured and decide whether residents can return to the damaged block.
sources:tv3.lt
Politics
Robertas in Brussels with EU ministers to discuss greater military aid to Ukraine and response to Russian threats
Lithuanian defence minister Robertas Kaunas is in Brussels on Sept. 28 for the EU Foreign Affairs Council in defence format. The main item is stepping up military support for Ukraine, alongside talks on Russia’s hybrid campaigns and their escalation. Ministers will also discuss the Middle East security picture and what it means for European defence. Before the council meeting, they are due to gather in the European Defence Agency’s governing board.
Why it matters
For Ukraine, the meeting helps determine whether more EU military support will arrive faster, including ammunition and air-defence capacity. For the Baltic states and other eastern EU members, it matters because Brussels may harden its response to Russia’s hybrid threats.
sources:tv3.lt
Politics
Operation Vivaldi turning point: 250 Russians captured
Ukraine said its forces captured more than 250 Russian troops in the north of Donetsk region as Operation Vivaldi reached a new phase on September 28. Andriy Biletsky, commander of the 3rd Army Corps, said Ukrainian units also retook Nove, Ridkodub and Katerynivka, and restored control over Karpivka and Novomykhailivka. Kyiv said the latest push added 51 sq km of territory, taking total gains since the operation began to 176 sq km. Biletsky said Russian losses in the sector reached about 2,000 men and that entire Russian units surrendered, including officers, pilots and artillerymen.
Why it matters
The gains improve Ukraine’s position in northern Donetsk and make it harder for Russia to hold its bridgehead near the Lyman axis. The capture of prisoners and the reported losses also raise the cost for Russian units that had been used for assaults and counterattacks in the sector.
sources:15min.lt
Politics
WSJ: Russia offers $20 million for Brovdžio head
On September 28, WSJ reported that Russia has put a $20 million bounty on the whereabouts of Robert Brovdi, the commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, using post-Soviet criminal networks as the channel. In a separate layer of the story, WSJ journalist Jillian Kay Melchior described extreme security precautions during her visit to Brovdi in southeastern Ukraine, including a Faraday bag, airplane mode and location services switched off. Brovdi had already been sentenced in absentia by a Russian court in March 2026 to life in prison over a case tied to combat operations in Kursk region. The report adds that his drone units have become a central part of Ukraine’s battlefield strategy since he took command in June 2025.
Why it matters
Ukraine’s drone operators and their support network now have to tighten security further, because a public bounty can draw fresh hunting efforts far from the front line. That raises the risk around Brovdi’s circle and makes command-and-control work harder for his unit.
Politics
Putin will send 300,000 Russians to the front this year: 'Magyar' claimed their main goal
On September 28, Robert Brovdi, the Ukrainian drone commander known as Magyar, said in an interview with The Telegraph that Russia could have about 300,000 more troops on the front by the end of 2026. He said the increase would come through recruitment and replacement of losses, and that Russian deaths in the first half of September were 25% higher than in August. The implication is a longer, costlier war and more pressure on Ukraine’s overstretched front lines.
Why it matters
For Ukraine, a larger Russian manpower pool means more pressure on already strained sectors and a bigger need for air defence, artillery shells and drones. For European governments, it signals that the war is not nearing a freeze and that Kyiv will need support for a longer period.
sources:tv3.lt
Politics
War in Ukraine: drones hit the Krasnodar region and a Russian oil base caught fire
Ukrainian forces struck the Ilsky oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region overnight on Sept. 25-26, and a fire broke out at the site. Kyiv’s general staff said the target sat in a Black Sea region that has faced repeated drone attacks as Ukraine widens its reach into Russian energy infrastructure. Krasnodar governor Veniamin Kondratyev said fires also broke out at two industrial sites after the drone raid, without naming them. The attack adds to a fresh run of hits on Russian refining assets that Moscow says are forcing more spending on air defenses and repairs. (kyivindependent.com)
Why it matters
Russia’s refining sector is under direct pressure as repeated strikes force shutdowns, repairs and heavier spending on protection. That can feed fuel shortages and raise logistics costs in southern Russia, especially around the Black Sea corridor. (apnews.com)
World
Summary
More than 100 people have been killed in floods and landslides across India and Nepal. Uttar Pradesh alone reported 81 deaths, Nepal reported 27, and authorities warned of possible flash floods in 49 of Nepal’s 77 districts.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dismissed Defence Minister Dauren Kosanov after 14 servicemen died in a naval drill in the Caspian Sea. Three others were rescued in Mangystau region, five Defence Ministry officials were arrested, and Tokayev ordered a commission to investigate the disaster.
Russia struck Kyiv again overnight, killing two people at the Stolychnyi food market, starting a fire and causing fresh damage and injuries in Podil and Holosiiv. South Korea demanded an explanation and an apology from Ukraine after Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly disclosed at the UN General Assembly that Kyiv had transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul.
Scientists at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research said in the 2026 Planetary Health Check that seven of the nine planetary boundaries have now been crossed. The breached limits include climate change, biosphere integrity, land use, freshwater, biogeochemical flows, novel entities and ocean acidification.
Iran's Supreme Leader said the United States would be forced to leave the Middle East.
sources: delfi.lt, 15min.lt, lrytas.lt, tv3.lt, vz.lt, lrt.lt
Worth knowing
Term
planetary boundaries
Planetary boundaries are a scientific framework that defines environmental limits within which humanity can operate safely. Crossing them raises the risk of abrupt and potentially irreversible changes in Earth systems.
Top stories
Environment
New nightmare in Nepal and India: more than 100 killed after disaster
More than 100 people have been killed in floods and landslides across India and Nepal, with 81 deaths reported in Uttar Pradesh and 27 in Nepal, according to figures released today. Days of heavy rain and rising river levels triggered the disaster in both countries. Nepal has warned of possible flash floods in 49 of its 77 districts, with more than half still facing high flood risk as rivers and tributaries continue to swell. (archyvai.lrt.lt)
Why it matters
People in northern India and across Nepal’s border districts now face fresh flood risk, road closures and possible evacuations. Rising water levels also widen the area that emergency crews and local officials must cover. (archyvai.lrt.lt)
Who benefits
Rescue services and infrastructure repair contractors gain work, while residents, farmers and small businesses in Uttar Pradesh and Nepal’s border districts bear the losses. (archyvai.lrt.lt)
What's next
Nepal’s disaster authorities must decide on warnings and possible evacuations in 49 districts, while local officials in India monitor rising river levels over the next hours. (archyvai.lrt.lt)
Politics
During exercises, 14 naval infantry killed as Tokayev dismisses defense minister
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sacked Defence Minister Dauren Kosanov on Sept. 27 after 14 servicemen died in a naval drill in the Caspian Sea on Sept. 24. Three others were rescued after the group was swept into the water while disembarking from a patrol boat in rough weather. Kazakhstan's Interior Ministry has arrested five Defence Ministry officials, and Tokayev has ordered a commission to review what went wrong. (aa.com.tr)
Why it matters
For Kazakhstan's military, the episode means a top-level purge after a fatal safety failure, with detained officers facing potential disciplinary and criminal exposure. Units on the Caspian coast are now likely to face tighter oversight and a review of training procedures. (aa.com.tr)
Politics
Two people killed and eight injured as Russia attacks Kyiv with drones and missiles
Russia struck Kyiv again late on September 27 and into September 28, killing two people and wounding four in a hit on the Stolychnyi food market near the capital. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said the strike sparked a fire at the wholesale market, while air defences were active over the city centre. The air raid alert lasted nine hours. Officials also halted departing trains and moved passengers to underground shelters, while drones later damaged a non-residential building in Podil.
Why it matters
For Kyiv residents and the city’s logistics network, the strike adds pressure on food supply, transport and civilian safety in central districts. Traders, passengers and civilians lose out, while the wholesale food market and nearby infrastructure absorb the damage.
sources:15min.lt
Environment
Warning: seven of nine planetary boundaries crossed
Scientists at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research released the 2026 Planetary Health Check and said seven of the nine planetary boundaries are now crossed. The breached limits include climate change, biosphere integrity, land use, freshwater, biogeochemical flows, novel entities and ocean acidification. The report says pressure is still rising across all seven systems. That leaves the Earth farther outside the safe operating space for human activity.
Why it matters
Farmers, water managers and coastal fisheries face direct exposure because soil, water and ocean conditions are deteriorating at the same time. That raises supply risks, harvest volatility and adaptation costs for countries that depend on natural resources.
sources:lrytas.lt
Politics
Very serious matter: South Korea appeals to Ukraine
South Korea demanded on Sept. 27 that Ukraine explain itself and apologize after Kyiv publicly disclosed the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war without prior consent. Seoul says the arrangement was meant to stay confidential, while Ukraine’s presidential office denied any nondisclosure deal existed. The dispute erupted after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the UN General Assembly on Sept. 23 that Ukraine had recently handed the two men over to South Korea. Seoul says the disclosure badly damaged trust at a sensitive moment in ties with Kyiv.
Why it matters
The row turns two captured North Korean soldiers into a trust problem between Kyiv and Seoul at a time when both governments have security stakes in North Korea’s role in Russia’s war. If the confidentiality channel breaks down, future intelligence and humanitarian coordination could get harder.
sources:delfi.lt