September

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on September 28 placing the Russian subsidiary of Germany's wholesale food retailer Metro AG under the Kremlin's control. The move effectively seizes the German company's properties in Russia, adding to a pattern of foreign assets being taken over amid the war in Ukraine and raising concerns among Western businesses still operating there.

Russian strikes killed eight people and wounded dozens across Ukraine on Sunday, September 28. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow launched nearly 4,000 drones, aerial bombs and missiles against Ukraine in the latest wave of attacks, underlining the scale of ongoing Russian aerial bombardment of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

A major outage has disrupted flights across the United States, causing delays, cancellations and confusion for travellers. ABC World News Tonight with David Muir covered the disruption in its September 21, 2026 broadcast, reporting on the scale of the chaos and its impact on airports. The story drew heavy attention, with the report attracting more than 1.3 million likes.

A Russian guided aerial bomb strike on Sumy, Ukraine, on Sunday 27 September killed two people, including a 16-year-old girl, and injured five others. The casualties were confirmed by Oleh Hryhorov, head of the regional administration. The attack is part of continued Russian aerial bombardment of Ukrainian cities, drawing renewed attention to civilian deaths in the war.

A new report alleges Benjamin Netanyahu received direct high-level warnings ahead of the October 7 Hamas attack but failed to act on them. In late September 2023, the UAE president reportedly phoned to warn that Hamas was considering a major attack, and Netanyahu did not pass this to his security chiefs. The report also says he resisted proposals from some security officials, fuelling ongoing debate over political accountability for the intelligence failures.

The University of Michigan's monthly consumer sentiment survey showed a sharp drop in September, coming close to the lowest reading in the 78-year-old index's history, according to data released Friday. Analysts attribute the slump to persistent inflation squeezing household budgets and an oil supply shock weighing on expectations.

EU defense ministers meeting on September 28 made no new commitments to supply Ukraine with additional air defense interceptor missiles, according to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. She noted the EU has approved procurement plans covering future US production of Patriot missiles, but stressed that Ukraine needs interceptors now to counter ongoing Russian air attacks.

A poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, published on September 28, found that around 72% of Ukrainians believe President Volodymyr Zelensky bears personal political responsibility for corruption among his associates. The findings come amid ongoing scrutiny of governance and anti-corruption efforts in wartime Ukraine.

Russian drones hit a non-residential building and a warehouse in Kyiv's Obolonskyi district on the evening of 28 September. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the strikes, reporting damage to the two sites. The attack is part of the ongoing wave of Russian drone assaults on Ukrainian cities, which have repeatedly targeted the capital in recent months.

Russian forces struck a railway infrastructure facility in Vinnytsia Oblast, Ukraine, on the morning of 29 September. Natalia Zabolotna, head of the Vinnytsia Oblast Military Administration, said the attack left more than 15,000 consumers without electricity. The strike targeted transport infrastructure in the western Ukrainian region, adding to a pattern of Russian attacks on energy and logistics facilities across the country.

A teacher was injured by Israeli army gunfire in Gaza on September 29, according to a report circulated by the Palestinian Resistance News Network. The incident reportedly occurred near Sheikh Jaber School in Block G of Khan Younis, an area hosting displaced families. Posts sharing the report described it as part of ongoing attacks on schools and education in the enclave.

Protest movements spread through French high schools on Monday 28 September, with blockades reported in 180 establishments. Police made 164 arrests, some accompanied by confrontations described as unprecedented. The unrest comes on the eve of a further day of action, and the wave of arrests is fuelling debate over the policing of student protests and the grievances driving pupils to mobilise.

Russian forces struck a railway facility in Vinnytsia Oblast, western Ukraine, according to Ukrainian news reports dated 29 September. The attack targeted transport infrastructure, continuing Russia's campaign against Ukraine's rail network, which plays a key role in civilian travel and military logistics. Details on casualties or the extent of the damage have not been confirmed.

Russian forces struck Kharkiv with guided aerial bombs overnight into September 28, hitting the Kyivskyi and Slobidskyi districts of the city. Regional officials reported casualties, including eight children among the wounded. The attack adds to a pattern of repeated strikes on Ukraine's second-largest city, and officials have again called for stronger air defences.

Russian forces struck the villages of Komyshuvakha and Novotavriiske in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on the night of 26-27 September, killing three civilians and injuring four others. The attacks hit residential areas, with photographs showing damage from the overnight shelling. Local authorities confirmed the casualties as Ukrainian officials continue to report near-daily strikes on villages and towns across the front-line region.

Ukrainian media are reporting from Zaporizhzhia, where residents, including children, continue daily life under constant threat of FPV drones and Russian glide bombs. Alongside the human story, the Ukrainian military says it delivered four tons of food by drone to civilians in occupied Oleshky, and claims Russian losses exceeded 10,000 killed or wounded in a week as fighting continues.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is drawing criticism after suggesting that what Israel has done in Gaza could be replicated in the West Bank. Speaking on Ynet's podcast on 27 September, he was asked about his proposal regarding the occupied territory and replied, 'We already did it,' refusing to rule out a similar approach there.

Russian forces on September 27 moved civilians out of the Kupiansk community in Ukraine's Kharkiv region through a gas pipeline, according to Ukrainian officials. Reports say children and elderly people were allegedly used as cover while Russian troops withdrew from their positions. The episode has drawn attention as the situation in the Kupiansk district remains intense.