分类： world

A tragic incident unfolded on the Danube River between Serbia and Croatia, resulting in the death of one individual and the rescue of several others. According to Serbian police, a boat carrying at least 10 Chinese nationals capsized late Sunday evening near the Serbian town of Backa Palanka, approximately 90 kilometers northwest of Belgrade. The victims were reportedly attempting to cross the border illegally. Serbian rescuers recovered the body of one person and successfully saved four others, all of whom are Chinese nationals. Meanwhile, teams in neighboring Croatia located three men and two women, also from China. Serbia is a key transit point on the Balkan migration route, which many migrants use to reach Western Europe. In recent years, China has significantly invested in infrastructure projects across central and eastern Europe, leading to an increase in the visibility of Chinese emigrants in these regions.

In a startling incident late Saturday, up to 25 small hot-air balloons, some confirmed to be transporting smuggled cigarettes, infiltrated Lithuanian airspace, prompting the temporary shutdown of Vilnius Airport and causing significant flight delays. The disruption affected 30 flights and approximately 6,000 passengers, according to Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Center. Operations resumed at 4:50 a.m. on Sunday. While the balloons were primarily used for smuggling, the incident has heightened concerns in Europe about airspace security, particularly in the wake of recent NATO airspace violations. Some officials have suggested these intrusions may be part of Moscow’s strategy to test NATO’s readiness. Lithuania and other Baltic states remain on edge, especially after a Russian-made drone entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus on July 10 and crashed in Vilnius County. Another drone, carrying an explosive device, was discovered at a military training ground on July 28. In response, Lithuania’s parliament has authorized its armed forces to shoot down unauthorized drones. Border police recovered 11 balloons and approximately 18,000 packs of smuggled cigarettes, with two balloons flying directly over Vilnius Airport. Darius Buta, a spokesperson, noted that Belarusian smugglers are increasingly using balloons due to their lower cost compared to drones. Similar incidents, though on a smaller scale, were reported in August. Last year, Lithuanian authorities intercepted 966 balloons from Belarus, with 544 recorded so far this year. Buta emphasized that while smuggling balloons and drones are criminal activities, they are not acts of sabotage or provocation.

In a significant escalation of hostilities, Russia launched a series of missile and drone attacks on Ukraine overnight, targeting key western cities including Lviv and Zaporizhzhia. The strikes, which occurred from Saturday into Sunday morning, prompted neighboring Poland to scramble fighter jets to safeguard its airspace, with NATO allies also deploying aircraft. Lviv’s regional head, Maksym Kozytskyi, reported two fatalities and two injuries in the region, while Zaporizhzhia’s mayor confirmed one death and widespread power outages affecting over 73,000 residents. The attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have intensified, leaving parts of Lviv without electricity and disrupting public transport. Ukrainian Air Force warnings placed the entire country under air raid alerts, with Russia’s aggression extending to the eastern Donbas region, which it has largely controlled since its 2022 invasion. Meanwhile, NATO member Lithuania briefly closed its airspace after unidentified objects were spotted, echoing recent incidents in Denmark, Norway, and Germany. The latest developments follow a statement by US Special Envoy Keith Kellogg, who affirmed US support for Ukraine’s potential deep strikes within Russian territory, signaling a potential shift in the conflict’s dynamics.

Recent weeks have seen a surge in mysterious drone flights over European Union airspace, sparking widespread alarm among the public and government officials. These incursions, some attributed to Russia, have reached an unprecedented scale, raising concerns about NATO’s preparedness and response capabilities. On September 10, a swarm of Russian drones breached Poland’s airspace, prompting NATO aircraft to intercept and shoot down several devices. This marked the first direct confrontation between NATO and Russia since the latter’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Days later, NATO jets escorted three Russian warplanes out of Estonia’s airspace. These incidents have led European defense ministers to agree on developing a ‘drone wall’ along their borders to enhance detection, tracking, and interception of unauthorized drones. While Russia denies any deliberate involvement, European authorities remain tight-lipped, often delaying public acknowledgment of these overflights. In Germany, Munich Airport experienced two closures within 24 hours due to drone sightings, disrupting travel for over 6,500 passengers. Similarly, Copenhagen Airport faced significant disruptions, with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen labeling it as the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date. Norway’s Oslo Airport also reported a drone sighting, prompting investigations into potential links between these incidents. Danish military sites, including the Karup Air Base, have also been targeted, with Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen suggesting a ‘professional’ actor was behind these systematic flights. In Germany, drones were spotted over critical infrastructure in Schleswig-Holstein, including a power plant, a university hospital, and a shipyard. Authorities are investigating these sightings, with Chief Public Prosecutor Stephanie Gropp confirming ongoing inquiries. The situation has left European countries scrambling to formulate effective responses, including whether to authorize the shooting down of drones.

In a tragic incident that underscores the perils faced by journalists in conflict zones, French photojournalist Antoni Lallican was killed in a Russian drone strike in eastern Ukraine. The attack, which occurred on the outskirts of Komyshuvakha in the Donetsk region, also left Ukrainian photojournalist Grigoriy Ivanchenko severely injured. This marks the first instance of a journalist being killed by a drone in Ukraine, according to the European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ and IFJ).

Mr. Lallican, a Paris-based journalist, had been documenting the war since March 2022, just a month after Russia’s full-scale invasion began. His dedication to capturing the human cost of the conflict earned him the prestigious Victor Hugo Prize for photography in 2024. At the time of the attack, both journalists were embedded with the 4th Mechanised Brigade, approximately 15 kilometers from the frontline.

Despite wearing personal protective equipment, including bulletproof vests marked with ‘PRESS,’ the journalists were unable to hear the drone overhead due to the noise of chainsaws being used to build defensive positions. Anastasia Haletska, the brigade’s press officer who was also wounded, managed to apply tourniquets to Mr. Ivanchenko before both were transported to a hospital in Kramatorsk. Mr. Lallican was killed instantly, while Mr. Ivanchenko is in stable condition but had to undergo a leg amputation.

French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Mr. Lallican, describing him as a victim of a Russian drone attack. ‘I express my sincere condolences to his family, loved ones, and all his colleagues who, risking their lives, inform us and bear witness to the reality of war,’ Macron wrote on X.

Mr. Lallican’s work, published in outlets such as Le Monde and Le Figaro, documented the war’s impact across Ukraine, from Odesa in the southwest to Kharkiv in the northeast. His photographs captured the plight of families fleeing the invasion, elderly residents refusing to abandon their homes, and soldiers on the frontline.

The EFJ and IFJ reported that 17 journalists have been killed since the invasion began. In a joint statement, they honored Mr. Lallican’s courage and demanded justice for his death. Sergiy Tomilenko, president of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), accused Russia of deliberately targeting those documenting war crimes. ‘Antoni Lallican built a visual bridge between the world and Ukrainian reality. Now he himself has become part of this tragic story,’ Tomilenko said.

The Kremlin has yet to comment on the attack.