Thursday briefing: Why Russia’s drone attack marks ‘a new level of hostility’ in the war

<p>In today’s newsletter: More than a dozen drones entered Polish airspace, the first time in the war a Nato country has been pulled into direct military action – and an escalation Europe can’t ignore</p><p>Good morning. Less than a month ago, European leaders were sitting in the White House with Donald Trump, sketching out a path to peace for Ukraine. Fast forward to Wednesday and the Polish prime minister warned that the prospect of a large military conflict is “closer than at any time since the second world war”.</p><p>This is because Vladimir Putin has been drawing up his own plans, flying more than a dozen drones into Polish airspace. It is the closest the fighting has come to European homes and the first time a Nato country has been pulled into direct military action since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.</p><p><em><strong>US</strong></em> | Charlie Kirk, founder of rightwing youth activist group Turning Point USA and a close ally of Donald Trump, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/10/charlie-kirk-shot-utah">was fatally shot</a> on Wednesday afternoon while speaking at Utah Valley University near Salt Lake City.</p><p><em><strong>UK news</strong></em><strong> </strong>| Keir Starmer was urged to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/sep/10/starmer-urged-to-sack-mandelson-amid-epstein-business-deal-revelations">sack Peter Mandelson as British ambassador to the US</a> after more details emerged of his close friendship and business dealings with the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.</p><p><em><strong>Europe</strong></em> | A joint operation between several central European countries has identified an alleged <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/11/european-operation-identifies-alleged-belarusian-spy-ring">Belarusian spy ring</a> that reportedly included a former deputy head of Moldovan intelligence.</p><p><em><strong>Iran</strong></em> | Tehran and the UN nuclear inspectorate have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/10/un-inspectors-iran-nuclear-sites-breakthrough-deal">reached an agreement</a> that will allow inspectors to return to inspect all of Iran’s nuclear sites, including those bombed by Israel and the US in June.</p><p><em><strong>Boris Johnson</strong></em> | The publisher of the Washington Post, Will Lewis, is facing <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/sep/10/washington-post-boss-will-lewis-secret-adviser-boris-johnson-leak">fresh questions over his independence</a> after a cache of leaked files revealed he gave extensive support to Boris Johnson as a secret political adviser when Johnson was prime minister.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/11/thursday-briefing-why-russias-drone-attack-marks-a-new-level-of-hostility-in-the-war">Continue reading...</a>