RUSSIA’S DATA-CENTRE WAR: DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE, BOT NETWORKS AND FOREIGN ELECTIONS

Ukrainian drone strikes against Russian data centres have opened a new front in modern warfare. Instead of targeting only oil refineries, ammunition depots and military factories, Ukraine has begun striking infrastructure that supports Russia’s cloud computing, artificial intelligence, banking systems, communications and digital economy.

The attacks have produced genuine disruption. However, the widely circulated claim that they eliminated 60%—or even 90%—of Russian bot activity requires careful examination. Available evidence shows that Russia conducts extensive foreign influence operations, but it does not yet prove that the damaged data centres controlled most Russian political bots or enabled Moscow to “manage” foreign elections directly.

How Many Data Centres Does Russia Have?

There is no single definitive figure because different databases use different definitions. Some count only large commercial colocation facilities, while others include corporate server centres, cloud availability zones, telecommunications facilities, cryptocurrency infrastructure and projects still under construction.

One specialist database identified 102 verified Russian facilities in October 2026, including 80 operational centres, eight under construction and 14 planned. Broader industry estimates count more than 200 facilities, while Cloudscene-based research places the total at approximately 251 data centres. DC Market Insights

The difference is therefore methodological rather than necessarily contradictory. A single data-centre campus can contain several independent buildings, and a cloud “availability zone” may operate across more than one physical location. At the same time, many banks, telecommunications companies and technology businesses operate private facilities that are not fully disclosed for commercial or security reasons.

Azerbaijan Invests in the Next Generation: MINIBOSS BUSINESS SCHOOL has launched a 2nd branch in Baku

Azerbaijan is steadily strengthening its position as a country committed to economic modernisation, human capital development, innovation and private enterprise. One of the most promising areas of this transformation is the development of entrepreneurial competencies from an early age.

The opening of the second MINIBOSS BUSINESS SCHOOL branch in Baku in 2026 provides a compelling example of how educational technologies developed in the United Kingdom are becoming part of Azerbaijan’s evolving entrepreneurial ecosystem, creating new opportunities to prepare the next generation of entrepreneurs, business leaders and innovators.

No New Yalta: no lawful peace for Ukraine without Ukraine

Trump’s ambition to become the architect of peace risks reviving an era in which great powers decided the destinies of sovereign nations behind closed doors

US President Donald Trump has made one of his most controversial statements about the war in Ukraine, declaring: “I think it is time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine.” His words were directed against President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom Trump accused of failing to reach an agreement with Russia earlier. Yet the statement raises a question far greater than the political future of one Ukrainian leader: who has the right to speak for an independent country fighting against foreign aggression?

The controversy has intensified amid reports that Vladimir Putin proposed a three-way summit with Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the forthcoming APEC meeting in China. According to current reporting, the Kremlin appears interested in using such a meeting to discuss the future of the war on terms advantageous to Moscow. Trump has expressed openness to meeting the two leaders, although he has also suggested that the principal subject would be nuclear weapons and denuclearisation. No final agreement on the summit or its agenda has yet been announced.

When asked whether he would discuss ending the war without Zelenskyy, Trump indicated that he would pursue any opportunity that he believed could stop the fighting. This reflects his increasingly visible ambition to present himself as the global dealmaker capable of resolving wars through direct personal negotiations. The desire to end bloodshed is legitimate and urgently necessary. But peace cannot be sustainable if the country whose territory, people and future are being discussed is excluded from deciding its own fate.

A Peace Summit—or a Council of Great Powers?

The prospect of Trump, Putin and Xi discussing Ukraine without an authorised Ukrainian representative evokes the diplomacy of the great-power conferences of the Second World War. At Tehran in 1943, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin coordinated military strategy against Nazi Germany and began discussing the post-war order. At Yalta in February 1945, the same three powers made decisions that profoundly influenced the political future of Europe.

Ukraine marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Bohdan Hawrylyshyn—an outstanding public figure

BOHDAN HAWRYLYSHYN AT 100: A LIFE DEVOTED TO UKRAINE AND THE FUTURE

“Ukraine has always existed for me, even if only in my thoughts. Wherever I was and whatever I was doing, I always thought about what useful contribution I could make to Ukraine.”

On 19 October 2026, Ukraine marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Bohdan Hawrylyshyn—an outstanding Ukrainian economist, visionary, philanthropist and public figure whose intellectual and civic legacy reached far beyond national borders. He is recognised as a co-founder of the World Economic Forum in Davos, was the first Ukrainian member of the Club of Rome and advised governments, international companies and political leaders throughout the world. 

From Displacement to Global Leadership

Bohdan Hawrylyshyn was born on 19 October 1926 in the village of Koropets, in the Ternopil region. During the Second World War, he was taken to Germany and later lived in a displaced persons’ camp. He eventually emigrated to Canada, where he initially worked as a lumberjack before entering the University of Toronto and obtaining degrees in engineering.

His professional journey subsequently took him to Switzerland, where he became a distinguished educator and international management expert. For 18 years, he led the International Management Institute in Geneva, which later became part of the International Institute for Management Development. He trained generations of business leaders while advising governments and major international companies on management, economic development and institutional transformation. en.wikipedia.org

Hawrylyshyn also played an important role in initiating the gathering of international business executives in Davos that contributed to the creation of what became the World Economic Forum. His membership of the Club of Rome placed him among the global thinkers searching for solutions to the most important economic, social and environmental challenges facing humanity.

Chinese Cars of 2026: How China Is Rewriting the Rules of the Global Automotive Market

China's automotive industry has moved far beyond the era of inexpensive alternatives to Western and Japanese cars.

BYD is challenging conventional charging times, Chery is winning customers across Europe, Geely is developing a new generation of premium vehicles, and Chinese manufacturers are exporting cars at an unprecedented pace. Yet behind this global expansion lies a difficult domestic market, falling sales and growing pressure on manufacturers to survive. 

We examine what is driving China's automotive transformation, what its technologies actually deliver, and what the rise of Chinese cars means for consumers and the global industry.

GLOBAL TECH STOCKS PLUNGE AS AI INVESTMENT FEARS GROW

WORLD NEWS | GLOBAL ECONOMY | 17 OCTOBER 2026

Global financial markets face a sharp technology sell-off as rising inflation, higher interest rates and growing concerns over the sustainability of artificial intelligence investments trigger major declines across Asian stock exchanges, putting pressure on semiconductor giants and raising questions about the future of the global AI boom.

LONDON / TOKYO / SEOUL / NEW YORK. Global technology stocks have experienced a dramatic sell-off as investors increasingly question whether the extraordinary investment boom in artificial intelligence can sustain its momentum amid rising borrowing costs, inflationary pressures and growing uncertainty over future profitability.

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL COOPERATION: 2026 MOC has been signed between WESIO/UK and ONEU/Ukraine

A Memorandum of Cooperation focused on introducing educational innovation has been signed between the World Education, Science and Innovation Organisation (WESIO), United Kingdom, represented by its CEO, Dr Olga Azarova, and Odesa National Economic University (ONEU), Ukraine, represented by its Rector, Dr Anatolii Kovalov.

This strategic partnership marks the beginning of a new chapter in the international development of higher education. It creates a framework for introducing innovative educational licences, cutting-edge academic programmes, modern teaching methodologies and internationally oriented learning opportunities at ONEU.

SAUDI ARABIA: MISSILE THREATS

RIYADH / BRUSSELS — 16 October 2026. Saudi Arabia is facing a rapidly deteriorating security situation following a series of missile and drone attacks that have heightened regional tensions, disrupted international transportation, and raised concerns about the stability of the Middle East. The latest incidents include the interception of a cruise missile over the Medina region, one of Islam's most sacred areas, and the destruction of an unmanned aerial vehicle over the Kingdom's oil-rich Eastern Province.

The escalating crisis has already produced significant international consequences, including the postponement of a high-level summit between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), originally scheduled for 24 October in Riyadh. The developments demonstrate how regional military confrontation is increasingly affecting international diplomacy, global commerce, and energy security.

UKRAINE–RUSSIA WAR ESCALATES AS US–UKRAINE RELATIONS DETERIORATE

WORLD NEWS | GLOBAL SECURITY | 15 OCTOBER 2026

Renewed strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, tensions between Washington and Kyiv, and intensifying Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities raise serious concerns about European security and the future of international peace negotiations.

The war between Ukraine and Russia has entered another critical phase as Ukrainian forces resume drone strikes against Russian oil refineries following the collapse of a short-lived energy ceasefire initiative. At the same time, relations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump have deteriorated, creating fresh uncertainty over American military assistance, intelligence cooperation and the future of international efforts to end the conflict.

WESIO 2026: INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL COOPERATION BETWEEN THE UK AND UKRAINE

GLOBAL EDUCATION NEWS | INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION | UKRAINE – UK

World Education, Science and Innovation Organisation (WESIO), UK, and International University (IU), Ukraine, have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to introduce innovative educational programmes, expand international academic partnerships and create new opportunities for students, educators and future entrepreneurs. 

A Strategic Partnership for the Future of Higher Education

A significant step towards the internationalisation and modernisation of higher education has been taken in Odesa, Ukraine. The World Education, Science and Innovation Organisation (WESIO), United Kingdom, represented by its CEO, Dr Olga Azarova, and International University (IU), represented by Rector Dr Kostiantyn Hromovenko and Professor Dr Nataliia Holubenko, have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation aimed at introducing educational innovations and strengthening international academic collaboration.

UN WARNS OF A GLOBAL TRIPLE SHOCK: ENERGY CRISIS, SUPER EL NIÑO AND DEBT COULD PUSH 130 MILLION PEOPLE INTO POVERTY

The United Nations Development Programme has issued an urgent warning that developing economies are approaching a dangerous financial and humanitarian tipping point. Surging energy prices, an exceptionally powerful El Niño and the highest borrowing costs in decades could combine to trigger a new wave of food insecurity, poverty and economic instability.