Thursday, October 01, 2026

Ukraine Hit By Severe Power Cuts After Russia Pounds Grid Ahead Of Freezing Temps






Ukraine Hit By Severe Power Cuts After Russia Pounds Grid Ahead Of Freezing Temps



by Tyler Durden
Thursday, Oct 01, 2026 - 10:30 PM


Ongoing major Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure have resulted in significant forced power cuts across various regions of Russia ahead of what promises to be a frigid winter.

National grid operator Ukrenergo on Thursday urged consumers to limit usage following the recent attacks of the past 24 hours. The outages have chiefly impacted central Ukraine, as well as Kharkiv region in the east, along with Chernihiv and Sumy in the north.


via AP


"Where security conditions currently allow, emergency repair and restoration work is already under way," a statement said.

"Energy workers are doing everything possible to restore power to all disconnected consumers as quickly as possible," it added.

And BBC reports, "Kyiv has been preparing for a renewed onslaught before winter begins, by building fifteen small scale power plants in heavily fortified concrete bunkers."

Another European outlet warns of what this means for residents going into winter:


Kyiv said it was Moscow's opening salvo in an expected campaign to try to knock out heating and power as winter approaches.

A recent increase in strikes has prompted fears about another winter with little or no power or heating, after similar attacks last year when temperatures plunged to -20C.

The strikes which started Wednesday are being called one of the heaviest combined attacks on energy cited in months. Ukrainian officials reported seven people killed as a result.

Ukraine's prime minister Sergii Koretskyi confirmed on X, "Russia has escalated to massive ‌strikes on energy infrastructure." And President Zelensky indicated that critical infrastructure was hit across five regions.

Freezing temperatures are expected to hit the capital region in the coming days, as emergency repair crews scramble - though there's unlikely to be a let-up in the nightly attacks.


⚠️ Confirmed: Metrics show disruptions to internet connectivity in Kyiv and Zhytomyr Oblasts, #Ukraine, corresponding to emergency power shutdowns after a series of Russian missile and drone attacks target energy infrastructure, a hallmark of Russia's winter warfare strategy 🔌
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Zelensky has lately floated he'd be open to another energy ceasefire deal, and these calls are likely to be renewed; however, it will have to go both ways and the Ukrainians have also been unrelenting in their long-range drone attacks on Russian territory and oil refineries.

Russian forces have also of late been systematically degrading and destroying data centers and mobile providers in Ukraine. Internet connectivity has become a problem throughout various sectors of the country.

US Warns Europe: Release Emergency Diesel Supplies Or Face Export Ban






US Warns Europe: Release Emergency Diesel Supplies Or Face Export Ban



by Tyler Durden
Thursday, Oct 01, 2026 - 09:20 PM


The refined products crisis remains unresolved as the Northern Hemisphere winter approaches.

Speaking in the Oval Office on Wednesday, President Trump said he holds discussions "every day" about a potential diesel export ban, blaming Russia's war in Ukraine for fueling the supply squeeze. His administration is now pressuring European governments to release emergency diesel inventories to contain further price surges and reduce the risk of an economic shock in the coming months.

Reuters reports that the Trump administration has asked Germany and France to release emergency diesel inventories to help create a buffer against the supply squeeze in the industrial fuel or face a potential US diesel export ban.

The total request calls for the release of 120 million barrels of diesel over the next six months, according to a source in a European capital cited by the outlet. That would be equivalent to about 660,000 barrels a day of additional supply.



"It is in Europe's best interest to work with the United States as we pursue multiple pathways to boost the supply of refined products and lower costs for consumers," one source, a US official, told Reuters.

Trump warned yesterday in the Oval Office that an export ban would "have a negative impact on gasoline" prices but could lower diesel costs. He warned that Russia's war with Ukraine is the main driver of soaring prices. Russia recently extended an export ban on the industrial fuel.

Goldman analysts Yulia Zhestkova Grigsby, Alexandra Paulus and Daan Struyven noted earlier this week that estimated "dark exports" have helped boost Persian Gulf oil exports to 23.3 million barrels a day over the past week, back to prewar levels. Still, refined product exports remain at just half of their 2025 averages.



Goldman energy analyst Nikhil Bhandari warned last month that the refining crisis would persist through 2027 and prolong the pain at the pump.

Elevated diesel prices across the West risk triggering an economic shock, according to Bloomberg Intelligence senior commodity strategist Mike McGlone. He said that shock could be similar to what happened during the 2008 energy crisis.

Perhaps the first domino has already fallen: trucking companies with the weakest balance sheets fall first.16 U.S. Trucking Companies File For Bankruptcy In Less Than A Month As Diesel Prices Soar

Bloomberg commodities expert Javier Blas wrote earlier on X, "Europe is finding itself sandwiched from all sides when it comes to refined products ... diesel in particular (some of the damage is due to the US-Iran war; some is due to Ukraine-Russia; some is due to China, and a lot is self-inflicted). Policy response: Head in the sand."

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Wednesday that the Trump administration expects announcements from Europe very soon about tapping emergency diesel supplies.

Mystery Shrouds Destruction Of US Spy Satellite






Mystery Shrouds Destruction Of US Spy Satellite



by Tyler Durden
Thursday, Oct 01, 2026 - 10:29 PM


A mysterious breakup of a decades-old American spy satellite has sent debris hurtling through low-Earth orbit, with the U.S. Space Force now tracking the fragments for potential threats to other spacecraft, according to Space-Track.



The satellite, known as USA 32, came apart on September 13 at approximately 5:13 p.m. ET, according to U.S. Space Forces-Space. Officials have not publicly determined what caused the nearly 40-year-old spacecraft to suddenly fragment.

"All tracked debris are being incorporated into routine conjunction assessment screenings to support spaceflight safety," U.S. Space Forces-Space said in a notice. "No immediate threats have been identified; further analysis is ongoing."

USA 32 had been circling Earth since the final years of the Cold War.

The National Reconnaissance Office satellite blasted into space aboard a Titan II rocket on September 5, 1988. Public records identify the spacecraft as an electronic and signals intelligence satellite designed to collect information from orbit.

USA 32 has also been identified as FARRAH III, part of a secretive family of American intelligence satellites whose name was inspired by actress Farrah Fawcett.

The satellite was traveling in an orbit roughly 480 miles above Earth when it broke apart. Officials have yet to disclose how many fragments were produced.

That uncertainty matters because debris traveling at orbital speeds can pose a hazard to functioning satellites even when the individual pieces are relatively small. Space Force tracking systems routinely monitor objects around Earth and screen their trajectories for possible collisions.

Exactly what happened to USA 32 remains a mystery.

A collision with an untracked object is one possible explanation for an unexpected satellite breakup. Aging spacecraft can also fragment because of failures involving batteries, pressurized tanks or other components. There is currently no public evidence establishing any of those scenarios as the cause of USA 32's demise.

Russia Extends Diesel Export Ban Through Oct. 31






Russia Extends Diesel Export Ban Through Oct. 31



by Tyler Durden
Thursday, Oct 01, 2026 - 07:00 PM


Authored by Tsvetana Paraskova via OilPrice.com,


Russia's government on Wednesday extended the ban on exports of diesel, marine fuel, and gasoil for all fuel producers by October 31, which effectively extends the period in which the tightening global market will have to cope without Russian diesel shipments for another month.



The government took the decision to extend the ban, which has been in place since the summer, "to maintain a stable situation on the domestic fuel market, including to meet higher demand for fuel during the harvest season."

Russia has been extending the ban on diesel and other fuel exports by one month for months as Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries are crippling domestic fuel production.

Ukraine continues its campaign to cripple Russian refining capacity, fuel supply, and export revenues.

Russia has been suffering from a gasoline and diesel crunch since the spring, when Ukraine intensified its drone attacks at Russian refineries, aiming to cripple fuel supply to the front lines and to the domestic Russian market.

The Russian ban on diesel exports has added to the Middle East crisis to tighten global middle distillate markets.

Before the ban on exports, Russia's diesel shipments accounted for about 10% of global seaborne diesel supply.

The disappearance of Russian diesel added to the slow and uneven exit of fuel cargoes out of the Strait of Hormuz and reduced refinery operations in the Middle East following several Iranian strikes at Gulf refineries at the start of the war.

"We have 7 million barrels a day of refineries down in Asia and the Middle East and another 1.4 million barrels down in Russia. And the refineries, depending on the damage and the ability to get spare parts, are going to take a good long time to get back online," Brian Mandell, Executive Vice President of Marketing & Commercial at Phillips 66, said on the Q2 earnings call in early August.

The limited supply from Russia and the Middle East has sent retail diesel prices to record highs, including in the United States, where the average price of diesel is $6.41 per gallon as of September 30.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

RUSSIA'S GERAN 5 JET POWERED DRONE: US$50,000 CRUISE MISSILE WITH 1,000 KM RANGE, 700 KM/HR SPEED

 

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

RUSSIA'S GERAN 5 JET POWERED DRONE: US$50,000 CRUISE MISSILE WITH 1,000 KM RANGE, 700 KM/HR SPEED

 



The war in Ukraine has defined drone warfare and drone tactics that will become textbook material in war colleges for decades to come.  In August of this year (2026) the Russians have introduced the Geran 5 jet powered drone. It is made up of a Chinese turbojet engine, German transistors and American processors made by Texas Instruments.  Total cost is about US$50,000. The Geran 5 has a range of 1,000 km and a speed between 700 - 800 km/hr.  It carries a 90 kg warhead. Which makes it one of the cheapest options to deliver high explosive payload up to 1,000 km.

The really interesting aspect of the drone is it optical guidance system, on top of an inertial guidance system.  An inertial guidance system (IGS) is a navigation system that figures out an object's position, speed, and direction of movement without needing GPS, radio signals, or external references.  It does this using sensors called an inertial measurement unit (IMU) consisting of gyroscopes — measure rotation and changes in orientation and  accelerometers — which measure changes in velocity (acceleration).  A computer continuously integrates these measurements to calculate where the object is located. 

Excuse the tech talk but what this means is that the drone carries all these tech stuff on board.  It does not need to communicate with base or with satellites or with any other radio guidance. It can complete the strike mission independently on its own.  Meaning it is extremely difficult to jam the drone. 

But the icing on the Geran 5 drone is the optical guidance system. It also has a camera in front which scans the topography and landmarks on the ground. The entire route has already been photographed by satellites and other aerial recon and the images of the entire flight route are stored in the computer memory of the drone. As the drone flies it can match what its camera-eye sees on the ground with the images stored in its memory. This way the drone can fly super accurately following rivers, railway lines, recognise building shapes or shapes of hills and arrive accurately at the target. 

The Geran 5 has effectively become a cruise missile with a strike range of 1,000 km. But at only US$50,000 per drone. Versus a  Tomahawk cruise missile that has a range of 1,600 km, has a payload of 450 kg and costs US$4.0 million a piece.

If the Russians wish to deliver 450 kg of explosives (like the Tomahawk), they must shoot FIVE Geran 5 drones.  But the cost will be US$250,000 versus US$4.0 million for the Tomahawk (16 times more money). 

(Hello Tuan Jeneral Ketua Turus Angkatan Tentera, you must think of saving money. NATO sudah kalah). Here is a brief video.




THE ISREALI PRIME MINISTER'S SECRET VISIT TO THE UAE LAST SATURDAY - CURTAINS COMING DOWN ON IRAN

 

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

THE ISREALI PRIME MINISTER'S SECRET VISIT TO THE UAE LAST SATURDAY - CURTAINS COMING DOWN ON IRAN

 



Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's UAE trip took place on Sunday, 27 September 2026. He flew secretly to Abu Dhabi and met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ). The UAE confirmed the meeting through its state news agency, WAM. 

The Israeli delegation

The Netanyahu delegation was made up of:
Benjamin Netanyahu — Prime Minister
Sara Netanyahu — his wife
Roman Gofman — Director of Mossad
Shmuel Ben-Ezra — head of Israel's National Security Council
Maj. Gen. Guy Markizano — Netanyahu's Military Secretary
Ophir Falk — Netanyahu's Foreign Policy Adviser
The PMO also said the delegation included security personnel and the head of the Shin Bet security division. 

The Arab side

An expanded meeting took place with the Israeli delegation involving representatives of several Arab/Gulf countries.  Besides the UAE, the other countries reported include:  Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Jordan, Libya,  Qatar.   An Emirati source gave a longer list including:  United States, Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman. That is TWELVE countries including Israel.

The reports say the expanded meeting concerned Iran, the Houthis, intelligence/security cooperation and assistance to Saudi Arabia, and the possibility of a regional defence framework. 

A Libyan Airbus A319 associated with Saddam Haftar, the son of eastern Libyan commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, flew from Benghazi to Abu Dhabi during Netanyahu's visit.

All the foreign visitors landed at the Al Bateen Executive Airport (Al Bateen Executive Airport), Abu Dhabi. Flight-tracking reports showed several unusual government/military aircraft arriving around the same time as Netanyahu's aircraft. Moroccan, Saudi and Qatari government aircraft were also reported at the airport. 

And Khalifa Haftar the Libyan leader himself was also in Abu Dhabi for 'medical treatment'  (Libya Observer).

Since the meeting was called by the President of the UAE and attended by the Israeli Prime Minister it is most likely that the other attendees were of equal or high rank. The Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, who is the younger brother of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is said to have attended. The Saudis have denied attending at all. 

Saudi Arabia is facing an intensified Houthi threat, and Khalid bin Salman is in charge of defense and high-level diplomacy over the Houthi situation. 

The meeting was organized by Mossad chief Roman Gofman after a Saudi request for Israeli assistance against Houthi attacks. The UAE agreed to host it. 

Israel had already supplied/operated air-defence capabilities in the UAE during the Iranian conflict.  In other news, last week TWO squadrons of jet fighters from the United States Air Force have landed at an Israel Air Base in the Negev desert. 

I think the curtains are coming down on the Iranian regime. 

Trump hints US could strike Iran, warns time coming

 


Iran war live: Trump hints US could strike Iran, warns time coming


  • US President Donald Trump tells reporters that the country faces a choice to either make a deal with Iran or “blow them up”.
  • US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has told military leaders at the Quantico Marine base outside Washington, DC, that American forces have “destroyed” Iran’s navy, air force, defence systems, leadership and military-industrial capacity, while also crippling its nuclear ambitions.
  • Iran says it has received a US counterproposal regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as part of diplomatic efforts to break the deadlock over the ongoing conflict.

  • 38m ago
    (07:30 GMT)

    6 killed as IRGC raid targets ‘terrorists’ planning attack near Tehran

    Iranian forces have killed six members of a “terrorist group” allegedly planning an operation in Manjilabad near Tehran.

    Iranian state media reported soldiers with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps recovered explosives from a home and “clearance operations” are underway in the village in Tehran province, 44km (27 miles) southwest of the capital.

    “The operation is ongoing with the aim of completely clearing the site and confronting the terrorist elements,” Tasnim news agency reported.

    Iran has repeatedly accused the US and Israel of fomenting unrest by arming and funding opposition groups in the country.

    Basij paramilitary troops affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
    Basij paramilitary troops affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps [Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu]
  • 53m ago
    (07:15 GMT)

    Gaza’s healthcare crisis leaves breast cancer patients without early detection

    The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has warned that breast cancer patients in Gaza face a “catastrophic health and humanitarian reality” that denies them basic medical care and their right to treatment.

    In a press release, the ministry said that early detection and diagnosis services are now “extremely limited and practically non-existent” because of severe shortages and repeated breakdowns of mammography equipment, as well as a lack of laboratory solutions and supplies, stripping women of the chance for early diagnosis.

    Breast cancer treatment in Gaza was almost completely devoid of approved protocols, with departments suffering critical shortages of chemotherapy drugs, hormonal therapies, and targeted treatments, it added.

    According to the ministry, before Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, the coastal enclave recorded about 360 new breast cancer cases annually, a figure that dropped to 250 and 260 in 2024 and 2025 respectively.

    “With the collapse of the early detection and diagnosis system, what is recorded in the registries does not necessarily reflect what is happening on the ground,” it said.

    “Based on pre-war rates, it was expected that we would be dealing with more than a thousand new cases within about three years.”

    1:38
    Gaza mother with breast cancer fears time is running out for treatment

  • 1h ago
    (07:00 GMT)

    Oil falls following US-Iran counterproposal

    Oil prices have dropped about 1 percent amid a cautious diplomatic back-and-forth between Tehran and Washington, Reuters reports.

    Brent crude futures fell 1.1 percent to $96.92 a barrel as of 04:30 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dipped 1.4 percent to $89.18 a barrel.

    Both benchmarks rose about $1 a barrel on Wednesday.

    Brent saw a monthly gain of about 14 percent in September – its biggest since July – while WTI increased by about 5 percent on the month.

    NORTHWICH, UNITED KINGDOM - SEPTEMBER 16: Fuel prices are displayed at Texaco petrol station on September 16, 2026 in Northwich, United Kingdom. The UK inflation rate rose to 3.1% in the year to August 2026, in part, due to surging motor fuel prices. Driven by global oil price spikes because of conflict in the Middle East, overall fuel costs rose 23% year-on-year, with both petrol and diesel costs increasing sharply during August to reach their highest levels since late 2022. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
    Fuel prices are displayed at a Texaco petrol station in Northwich, United Kingdom [Christopher Furlong/Getty]
  • 1h ago
    (06:45 GMT)

    Israeli forces arrest father and two sons during West Bank raids

    Israeli forces have arrested a Palestinian man alongside his two sons in the town of Kafr ad-Dik in the northern occupied West Bank, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

    The military stormed the town at dawn before raiding and ransacking the home of Majdi al-Deek and his sons.

    Forces have also raided the town of Tammun with several military patrols and infantry forces, according to Wafa, and searched many homes, but withdrew without reporting any arrests.