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'Everything was in ruins' — At least 2 killed, 2 injured in Russian drone attack on Kyiv

21 October 2026 at 08:13
An air raid alert sounded in Kyiv at around 5:20 a.m. local time on Oct. 21 as drones approached the capital, which has faced an unrelenting barrage of Russian drone attacks this fall.

Is time running out for Mohammed bin Salman?

21 October 2026 at 07:42

In “The Muqaddimah”, the 14th-century historian Ibn Khaldun wrote that “great dynasties often decline after three generations because they fail to produce capable successors.” Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia now asks this question precisely: Has he weakened the very dynasty he was meant to strengthen and secure? The kingdom is under mounting […]

The post Is time running out for Mohammed bin Salman? appeared first on Asia Times.

Ukrainian forces reportedly strike energy infrastructure in occupied Donetsk Oblast, Luhansk telecom site

21 October 2026 at 00:25
Ukrainian forces struck energy infrastructure in the city of Chystiakove in Donetsk Oblast, and blackouts were reported in Crimea amid drone fire, monitoring channels reported late on Oct. 20.

Zelensky confirms ballistic missile early warning systems operational after skipped alerts

20 October 2026 at 22:34
"This is very important for our people, as we can know when a Russian ballistic missile is incoming. Therefore, this morning began with positive signals from the American side," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Ukraine war latest: Drone strikes on Yandex data centers disrupt Russian court hearings, media reports

20 October 2026 at 19:21

Key developments on Oct. 20:

  • Ukrainian strikes on Yandex data centers disrupt Russian court hearings, media reports
  • Ukraine's HUR claims 108 Russian soldiers killed, 29 captured in Sumy Oblast operation
  • Power outages in half of Ukraine's oblasts after Russian assault on power plants
  • Fire at oil

Death is a master from Russia

20 October 2026 at 17:44

At the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, while in my hometown of Kyiv, I wrote an essay in German for a German website titled "Russia Dehumanizes the World."

The Ukrainian translation of this text, published under the title "The Dehumanization of

Russian drones strike Kyiv hospital, injure 12 across the city

20 October 2026 at 15:23
Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said Russia struck the operating room of the Strazheska Institute of the National Academy of Medical Sciences in Kyiv, injuring one patient.

Russian drone kills six in Kharkiv Oblast park, including mother and her 14-month-old in a stroller. Hours later, Ukraine shows photos to US senators

20 October 2026 at 13:46

russian drone kills six kharkiv oblast park including mother 14-month-old stroller hours later ukraine shows photos senators · post anhelina killed attack inna died hospital 19 2026 nova vodolaha killed_in_kharkiv_oblast

Six people were killed in a Russian strike in the settlement of Nova Vodolaha in Kharkiv Oblast, including girls aged 1 and 11. Another 15 people were injured, including seven children, Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov said on 20 October. Russian forces struck a park with a drone while families with children were there, Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs Ivan Vyhivskyi said.

Russian forces continue to attack Ukrainian cities, killing civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure. The Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office has opened a war-crime investigation into the strike. The strike was aimed at people, Yurii Yurchenko, head of a police department in Kharkiv Oblast, said in a comment to Suspilne.

The 14-month-old girl was named Anhelina

The Russian drone circled the park several times before crashing, Yurchenko said. He said the drone struck a tree near a café, and the blast wave and shrapnel hit people at the establishment. The attack came at around 16:30, the prosecutor’s office said, adding that Russian forces had preliminarily used a Geran-3 drone.

The café damaged in a Russian strike on a park in the settlement of Nova Vodolaha, Kharkiv Oblast, on 19 October 2026.
The café damaged in a Russian strike on a park in the settlement of Nova Vodolaha, Kharkiv Oblast, on 19 October 2026. Photo: Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration

The Russian strike killed three women, aged 28, 34 and 36, a man around 40 years old, and two girls, aged 14 months and 11 years, Syniehubov said in his statement.

The youngest girl, named Anhelina, was born in August 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Her mother, Inna, died in the hospital, he added.

Zelenskyy shows US senators photos of the aftermath the same day

Zelenskyy met with US Senators Richard Blumenthal and Thom Tillis, along with their colleagues from both parties and both chambers of Congress, according to a 19 October post on his social media accounts. During the meeting, he discussed the Russian attack in Kharkiv Oblast and showed lawmakers photographs from the scene, including one of the infant who was killed in a stroller.

“This is how Russia responds to the lifting of sanctions and the easing of pressure,” he said in the post.

The stroller in which 1-year-old Anhelina was killed, Nova Vodolaha, 19 October 2026.
The stroller in which 1-year-old Anhelina was killed, Nova Vodolaha, 19 October 2026. Photo: Suspilne Kharkiv/Viacheslav Mavrychev

Zelenskyy said Ukraine needs air defense and that no one should think about making money with Russia while it continues its war. He asked that sanctions on Russia stay in place until the killing stops, urged the US to “be strong” and apply Lindsey Graham’s law, and called on Europe to keep supporting Ukraine.

Zelensky appeals to US lawmakers for answers as White House turns on Kyiv

19 October 2026 at 23:57
"We want to understand what is happening, why it's happening, and where all this is heading," Zelensky told a bipartisan group of U.S. senators and representatives.

Ahold Delhaize Reports Malicious Cyberattack as Supermarket Deliveries Remain Disrupted

19 October 2026 at 18:59

Dutch-Belgian supermarket group Ahold Delhaize has confirmed that malicious activity was responsible for the cybersecurity incident that disrupted its operations across Europe and the United States, forcing the company to take websites, applications and other computer systems offline.

In an official statement issued on Monday, 19 October, the company announced that it had filed a formal complaint with Dutch police and was cooperating with national cybersecurity authorities. Although physical supermarkets have remained open, the disruption has affected online shopping, deliveries and some distribution operations.

The company said investigators had so far found no evidence that sensitive information belonging to customers, employees or business partners had been taken. However, its investigation remains open, and the identity and objectives of those responsible have not been publicly established.

Online services interrupted across several countries

The disruption began on 12 October, when Ahold Delhaize detected suspicious activity within its information technology infrastructure.

The group responded by taking a number of systems offline as a precaution, affecting most of its retail brands in Europe and the United States. The consequences varied considerably between businesses, with some experiencing prolonged interruption to digital services while others were able to restore operations more quickly.

Albert Heijn, the Netherlands’ largest supermarket chain, has been particularly affected. Its website and mobile application have returned online, but home grocery deliveries are not expected to resume until Friday, 23 October.

Orders scheduled before that date have been cancelled, while the company continues preparations for a gradual restoration of its online delivery service.

The incident also interrupted some supply and distribution arrangements, resulting in shortages on supermarket shelves in parts of the Netherlands and Belgium.

In Belgium, Delhaize has restored its online shopping operations. Certain promotional and personalised services were still experiencing difficulties, although the parent company confirmed that its Belgian e-commerce business was operational again.

Dutch retailers Etos and Gall & Gall have also restored their websites. Meanwhile, several American supermarket brands owned by Ahold Delhaize have continued to experience service interruptions.

The group said it expected additional online services in the United States to become available over the coming days.

Dutch authorities investigate

Ahold Delhaize said it notified the Netherlands’ National Cyber Security Centre within 24 hours of detecting the malicious activity.

The company has subsequently provided updates to the authorities and, on Monday, confirmed that a formal police report had been submitted.

Chief executive Frans Muller defended the decision to shut down digital systems, arguing that the investigation had demonstrated the necessity of taking preventive action.

The company has not identified the perpetrators, confirmed whether ransomware was involved or disclosed the technical method used to gain access to its infrastructure.

These distinctions are important because malicious activity does not necessarily establish that information was stolen or that attackers obtained control over every system subsequently taken offline.

The retailer has instead described a controlled restoration process intended to ensure that affected systems can be brought back into operation without exposing the business to further risks.

Ahold Delhaize operates thousands of supermarkets and related retail businesses, including Albert Heijn, Delhaize, Food Lion, Giant Food, Hannaford and Stop & Shop.

Its geographical reach means that a disruption originating within shared corporate infrastructure can affect several national markets, even where individual retail chains maintain separate commercial operations.

Cybersecurity becomes a supply-chain concern

The attack comes amid increasing scrutiny of the vulnerability of European food retailers to digital disruption.

Earlier this month, investigators in France began examining cyberattacks against refrigeration control systems used by hundreds of supermarkets.

Those incidents reportedly affected equipment at chains including Carrefour, Intermarché and Monoprix, with some retailers forced to discard products after refrigeration systems malfunctioned.

There is no established connection between the French incidents and the attack affecting Ahold Delhaize.

Nevertheless, both episodes illustrate the dependence of modern retail operations on interconnected digital systems supporting stock management, refrigeration, logistics, payments and customer services.

The consequences of a serious cyber incident can extend beyond the loss of access to websites. Interruptions to inventory systems, warehouse operations or communications with suppliers can affect the availability of physical products.

This creates particular difficulties for food retailers, where delays in transport and storage can result in the loss of perishable goods.

European regulatory implications

The incident also draws attention to the European Union’s NIS2 cybersecurity framework, which establishes stricter risk-management and incident-reporting obligations for organisations operating in designated sectors.

Food production, processing and distribution are among the activities covered by the directive, although its application to particular companies and operations depends on the relevant legal definitions and national implementing arrangements.

The legislation requires organisations within its scope to establish appropriate cybersecurity protections, address supply-chain risks and notify competent authorities of significant incidents.

Separately, the General Data Protection Regulation establishes notification requirements where personal-data breaches meet the relevant reporting threshold.

Ahold Delhaize’s statement that it has found no evidence of sensitive data being taken does not conclude the technical investigation, but it means that a confirmed theft of personal information should not presently be presented as a fact.

For the company, the immediate challenge remains restoring online services while maintaining normal supermarket operations. The wider commercial consequences, including the cost of the interruption and its effect on sales, have not yet been quantified publicly.

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine evacuates wounded soldier from front line by drone for first time, military says

Key developments on Oct. 19:

  • Ukraine evacuates wounded soldier from front line by drone for first time, military says
  • Ukraine brings home 23 children from Russian occupation
  • Ukraine, Russia nearing agreement on evacuation of civilians from occupied Oleshky, ombudsman says
  • 3 waves of Russian missiles slam Kyiv overnight, killing at

'Absolute atrocity' — Russian drone strike on park in Kharkiv Oblast kills children

19 October 2026 at 17:38
The drone struck the town's central park while many people, including families with children, were there, Interior Minister Ivan Vyhivskyi said. An infant in a stroller and two women were among those killed, he added.

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