According to Interfax-Ukraine, Vadym Filashkin, head of the Donetsk Oblast Military Administration, announced that starting in early November, the curfew will be extended to 8 to 19 hours a day across nearly the entire territory of the oblast, with the exception of two communities in the Kramatorsk Raion.
“Starting November 1, an extended curfew will be in effect throughout the Donetsk region, except for the Oleksandrivka and Cherkasy communities: from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 a.m. In the Oleksandrivka and Cherkasy communities, the curfew remains unchanged for now—from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. I signed the corresponding order today,” Filashkin wrote on his Telegram channel on Monday.
According to him, this decision is dictated by the security situation, as Russian occupiers are intensifying shelling of settlements in the Donetsk region, and the risks to the civilian population are constantly increasing.
CURFEW, DONETSK REGION, Regional Military Administration, SECURITY, shelling
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has called for a complete halt to the issuance of tourist visas to Russian citizens at the European Union level. In his view, such restrictions are necessary to counter the hybrid threats faced by European states.
As reported by the Financial Times on October 18, 2026, Kulbergs, in an interview with the publication, called on all EU countries to tighten visa policies toward Russian citizens, emphasizing the need for a unified approach to security issues.
According to the Latvian prime minister, the country faces hybrid threats from Russia on a daily basis, including attempts to cross the border illegally, the use of migration flows to destabilize the situation, as well as risks of sabotage and intelligence activities.
Kulbergs noted that in 2026, Latvia expects to face the greatest migratory pressure on its borders in the past five years. He believes that restricting Russian tourist travel to Europe should be one of the preventive security measures.
The Latvian prime minister paid particular attention to France, Italy, and Spain, which remain the EU countries that issue the most Schengen visas to Russian citizens.
According to the European Commission, these three countries account for over 70% of the visas issued to Russians in 2025. In total, Russian citizens received over 600,000 Schengen visas last year.
The issue of further tightening visa restrictions was discussed during the European Council meeting in Brussels on October 15–16. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the EU has the capacity to impose additional restrictions on private and business travel by Russian citizens.
According to the Financial Times, France is also considering significantly tightening visa restrictions, particularly regarding former Russian military personnel. Italy has shown a willingness to discuss additional measures, although these countries had previously not supported a complete ban on tourist visas.
At the same time, no pan-European decision to suspend the issuance of tourist visas to Russians has been adopted yet. The issuance of short-term Schengen visas remains the responsibility of the national authorities of EU member states, which review applications in accordance with the Common Visa Code.
Following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the European Union has already imposed a series of restrictions. In particular, on September 12, 2022, the agreement on a simplified visa regime between the EU and Russia was suspended.
This has led to higher visa processing fees, stricter documentation requirements, and longer processing times for applications.
In November 2025, the European Commission further restricted the issuance of multiple-entry Schengen visas to Russian citizens residing in and applying from Russia, while maintaining certain exceptions.
In July 2026, the EU also adopted a legal framework to restrict the issuance of short-term visas to Russian military personnel and former combatants who participated in hostilities against Ukraine. The relevant provisions allow for exceptions on humanitarian grounds and other grounds specified by law.
According to European Commission estimates, the number of Schengen visas issued annually to Russian citizens has fallen from approximately 4 million before the start of the full-scale war to 618,000 in 2025.
Latvia’s proposal calls for further tightening of these restrictions and the effective cessation of Russian tourist travel to Schengen countries on the basis of new tourist visas.
Andris Kulbergs has led the Latvian government since May 28, 2026. Previously, he served as a member of the Saeima and worked on parliamentary committees on economic affairs, entrepreneurship, energy, and regional policy. Latvia is a member of the European Union and NATO and shares a border with Russia and Belarus.
Source: Financial Times, interview dated October 18, 2026
The Embassy of Ukraine in Albania has recommended that Ukrainian citizens postpone visits to the consular section in Tirana, if possible, due to the deteriorating security situation caused by mass anti-government protests and clashes between demonstrators and police.
According to the official website of the diplomatic mission, protests are taking place, among other locations, near the Ukrainian Embassy, creating additional risks for visitors.
“Due to the deteriorating security situation during protests in the city of Tirana and near the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Albania, we recommend taking the current security situation into account when planning a visit to the Embassy’s consular section and, if possible, postponing the visit until the situation stabilizes,” the statement said.
At the same time, the diplomatic mission continues to operate as normal. Ukrainians are advised to observe personal safety measures, avoid places of mass gatherings and monitor announcements from local authorities.
The deterioration of the security situation was caused by a new wave of anti-government protests that began on October 13, 2026, and spread across Tirana and other cities in Albania. Students and young people have been at the center of the protest movement, opposing the high cost of education, unsatisfactory learning conditions, difficulties in finding employment and corruption.
The protest movement had been developing over the preceding months. One of the reasons for the mobilization of activists was disputes surrounding a major tourism investment project on the Albanian coast linked to American investor Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. Environmental organizations and local activists opposed development in protected natural areas, while the government views the development of tourism infrastructure as a source of investment and new jobs.
Subsequently, the protesters’ demands expanded. Demonstrators began demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, measures to combat corruption and reform of the education system. Supporters of the opposition Democratic Party also joined the protests.
On October 14–15, the protests escalated into large-scale clashes with law enforcement officers. Demonstrators threw stones, used pyrotechnics and set fire to certain administrative and commercial facilities. Police used tear gas and water cannons.
According to Albanian law enforcement authorities, police officers were injured as a result of the unrest, and damage to government institutions, bank branches and private property was recorded. Some protesters were detained.
Prime Minister Edi Rama rejected demands for his resignation and condemned the violent actions. At the same time, he stated that dialogue was necessary regarding the problems that had caused dissatisfaction among young people.
The escalation of the situation has already affected the operation of government institutions and transport services in the Albanian capital. In particular, a scheduled plenary session of parliament was canceled on October 15 due to security risks.
The diplomatic missions of the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom and other European countries also issued warnings to their citizens. The foreign ministries of Bulgaria and Croatia separately recommended that their citizens avoid central areas of Tirana where demonstrations are taking place.
The most tense situation is observed near Skanderbeg Square, Durrës Street, the Ministry of Education and government buildings. Local authorities warn of possible traffic restrictions, street closures and new demonstrations.
For Ukrainians living in Albania or planning trips to Tirana, this means the need to take into account possible transport restrictions and changes in access to government and consular institutions.
Albania is a parliamentary republic and a candidate for accession to the European Union. Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party retained power following the 2025 parliamentary elections. Political tensions are unfolding against the backdrop of negotiations on European integration, reform of state institutions and attraction of foreign investment.
According to Interfax-Ukraine, most Ukrainians are open to territorial concessions to achieve long-term peace, provided there are security guarantees from the U.S. and European partners, and 57% support a ceasefire and seeking a compromise through negotiations, according to the results of a poll by the Rating Group conducted October 3–5.
“Most Ukrainians are ready for a ceasefire and support negotiations as a way to achieve peace. However, this does not mean peace under any conditions. The overwhelming majority believes that neither Ukraine nor Russia is winning the war at this time (62%). A quarter indicate that Ukraine has the upper hand (26%), while 6% say Russia does,” the report states.
Half of the respondents (50%) believe that peace is more important than any victory, while 41% hold the opposite view. Another 9% were undecided. The survey notes that, against the backdrop of intensified shelling in recent months, the proportion of those who consider victory more important has increased.
At the same time, 57% of those surveyed support a ceasefire and seeking a compromise through negotiations. Thirteen percent advocate continuing hostilities until a return to the line of control as of February 23, 2022, while another 21% believe it is necessary to continue hostilities until the territories of Donbas and Crimea are recovered.
The majority of respondents support negotiations as a path to ending the war: 57% view reaching a compromise with the involvement of other countries as the way forward, while another 26% favor direct negotiations.
“Territorial concessions are acceptable, but only with security guarantees, and the decision must be made in a nationwide referendum.” One-third of those surveyed support territorial concessions as a step toward long-term peace. At the same time, 56% believe that territorial concessions can be made for the sake of long-term peace, but only on the condition of security guarantees from the U.S. and European partners, which would include funding for the Armed Forces and military equipment. Only 3% support concessions without preconditions, while 6% answered “difficult to say,” according to the survey results.
If territorial concessions are considered a condition for peace, 68% of respondents believe that the final decision on this issue should be made by the people in a nationwide referendum. Meanwhile, 17% believe the decision should be made by the President of Ukraine, and 9% by the Verkhovna Rada. According to the study, this position has remained virtually unchanged over the past year.
As noted, the “Rating” Sociological Group conducted the survey October 3–5, 2026, using the CATI method among 1,000 respondents aged 18 and older in all regions of Ukraine, except for the ATO zone, as well as in areas where Ukrainian mobile service was unavailable at the time of the survey. The sample was formed by randomly selecting mobile phone numbers, and the results were weighted according to current data from the State Statistics Service. The sample is representative in terms of age, gender, and type of settlement; the statistical margin of error does not exceed 3.1 percentage points with a confidence level of 0.95.
According to Interfax-Ukraine, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov responded to a new op-ed by Valeriy Zaluzhny, former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, stating that Ukraine’s ability to withstand the war should not be interpreted as consent to live in it, and called for a path to peace backed by guarantees from partners.
“For me, the logic of the ‘war party’ begins when war is perceived as Ukraine’s only possible future. I disagree with this,” Terekhov wrote on Telegram.
Terekhov noted that the desire for peace requires no justification. According to him, in a Gallup poll conducted in April 2026, 66% of Ukrainians surveyed supported ending the war as soon as possible through negotiations. This indicates a broad public demand for peace.
“Peace must be based on our defense capabilities and specific commitments from our partners. Guarantees must specify what military assistance Ukraine will receive and how partners will act in the event of a new attack. We must strive to secure these conditions by using military, economic, and diplomatic leverage,” Terekhov writes.
He noted that Russia started this war and bears responsibility for its continuation, which is why international pressure must be directed specifically at the aggressor.
“Our ability to endure the war should not be interpreted as consent to live in it. We strive for peace and prosperity. Our defenders—both men and women—also have the right to a peaceful life. Time with their families, recovery, plans for the future. Their courage obligates the state to provide them with everything they need and to use every realistic opportunity to bring the war to an end,” Terekhov concluded.
In his column on Channel 24, Zaluzhny specifically stated that there can be no “business logic” in resolving the war, and that in the absence of effective international law, any agreements with Russia would become “merely a prelude to the next war.”
In April 2026, the American public opinion institute Gallup conducted and published several important sociological studies. According to the survey, 66% of Ukrainians polled believe that the country needs to reach an agreement to end the war as soon as possible, while 24% advocate continuing hostilities until victory is achieved.
Source: https://t.me/ihor_terekhov/4706
The Bitget cryptocurrency exchange lost approximately $351.6 million as a result of a cyberattack on its wallet infrastructure, marking one of the largest incidents in the crypto industry in 2026.
According to Bitget CEO Gracie Chen, the attackers managed to compromise a critical backend component of the exchange’s wallet infrastructure, after which they tampered with transaction data and triggered the internal withdrawal authorization process.
However, according to preliminary findings from the company’s investigation, the wallets’ private keys were not compromised.
The attack affected Bitget’s hot and so-called warm wallets. Cold wallets, in which funds are stored offline, remained secure.
After detecting the attack, the exchange halted further unauthorized transfers. Trading and deposits continued to function, but withdrawals were temporarily suspended while security checks were conducted.
Bitget stated that user losses will be covered by its own User Protection Fund, which exceeded $464 million at the time of the incident.
The attack’s uniqueness lies in its mechanism. In major cryptocurrency hacks, attackers often gain access to private keys and then directly sign transactions to withdraw assets.
In the case of Bitget, according to the exchange’s management, the attackers—rather than obtaining the keys—forced the internal system to accept fraudulent transfer data as legitimate transactions.
The incident has once again demonstrated that the security of centralized cryptocurrency platforms depends not only on the protection of private keys and cold storage of assets. Backend infrastructure, transaction authorization systems, and internal control mechanisms also remain potential points of attack.
