German police investigating reported explosives at Brandenburg power substation
Back to Germany now for a bit…
As reported earlier, we are expecting to hear from the German government later this afternoon, formally blaming Russia for the recent attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport (10:17).
But in the meanwhile, German police are investigating some explosives found at a power substation in Turnow-Preilack in Brandenburg, near the coal-fired Jänschwalde power plant.
“Evidence is being secured,” a police spokesperson told German news agency DPA. “Bomb disposal experts are on site.”
Some damage to a power line was discovered this morning, Die Welt said. Local media outlet Märkische Allgemeine reported that explosives had been found and defused at the scene, but police insisted there was no danger to the public.
Investigators believe the explosives were intended to cause a widespread power outage, but network operator 50Hertz told MAZ that there was only a “brief interruption” to its services.
It further told Reuters that “as yet unidentified perpetrators are believed to have caused damage to several power lines in 50Hertz’s transmission grid.”
As often with breaking news story, it’s important to remember that we do not know anything about who could be behind this incident and it may well be a very different story to the Leipzig incident.
Handesblatt noted that in January a group of suspected left-wing extremists set fire to and short-circuited power lines near a different plant in southwest Berlin.
More on this when we have it.
Key events
Kallas also offers a strong endorsement for further help to Ukraine, as she says:
“Every interceptor we provide to Ukraine means a Russian missile that does not reach a Ukrainian school, home or hospital. And every support we give to Ukraine strengthens European security.”
EU will not let Russia ‘scare us away from supporting Ukraine,’ Kallas says
Meanwhile, EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas is speaking from Wicklow, Ireland just now, briefing the press after today’s meeting of defence ministers.
She says Russia’s war is “becoming more ruthless and destructive” and “not closer to ending,” but insists the EU will not allow Moscow to use its hybrid attacks to “scare us away from supporting Ukraine” – quite the opposite.
“First, Ukraine.
Russia’s war is becoming more ruthless and destructive, but it’s unfortunately not closer to ending. Russia’s army is bogged down on the ground, and that is why they are killing civilians from the skies. And this is terror by design in the Black Sea. Russian strikes on grain ships are deliberately putting global food supplies at risk.
Russia is also hitting Europe with a wave of increasingly kinetic hybrid attacks. With this, Russia wants to scare us away from supporting Ukraine. They will not succeed. To the contrary, today also the discussions that we had, we will increase our support to Ukraine and invest in our own defence.
This is the best way to stop Putin. We are also planning the most far reaching sanctions against Russia.”
She says Ukraine is militarily “putting Russia under pressure.”
Jakub Krupa
The German government’s press conference on the Leipzig incident is expected around 5.30pm local time (4.30pm UK).
I will keep an eye on this for you.
Here’s the background:
A police spokesperson told AFP that at least one of the devices detonated but others failed to go off, she said, adding that no one was hurt and there was no major blackout in the area, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) southeast of Berlin.
German police investigating reported explosives at Brandenburg power substation
Back to Germany now for a bit…
As reported earlier, we are expecting to hear from the German government later this afternoon, formally blaming Russia for the recent attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport (10:17).
But in the meanwhile, German police are investigating some explosives found at a power substation in Turnow-Preilack in Brandenburg, near the coal-fired Jänschwalde power plant.
“Evidence is being secured,” a police spokesperson told German news agency DPA. “Bomb disposal experts are on site.”
Some damage to a power line was discovered this morning, Die Welt said. Local media outlet Märkische Allgemeine reported that explosives had been found and defused at the scene, but police insisted there was no danger to the public.
Investigators believe the explosives were intended to cause a widespread power outage, but network operator 50Hertz told MAZ that there was only a “brief interruption” to its services.
It further told Reuters that “as yet unidentified perpetrators are believed to have caused damage to several power lines in 50Hertz’s transmission grid.”
As often with breaking news story, it’s important to remember that we do not know anything about who could be behind this incident and it may well be a very different story to the Leipzig incident.
Handesblatt noted that in January a group of suspected left-wing extremists set fire to and short-circuited power lines near a different plant in southwest Berlin.
More on this when we have it.
King Harald’s funeral will be held on 9 September at Oslo Cathedral, and he will be laid to rest in the royal mausoleum at Akershus Fortress in Oslo.
The funeral is likely to attract lots of foreign dignitaries and leaders.
Starting from today, members of the public will be able to pay their last respects to him by visiting the palace chapel, where his body is lying in state.
Leaving the parliament, King Haakon VIII is warmly welcomed by gathered on-lookers with applause as he returns to the royal palace.
After the speeches, the Norwegian parliament sings Norway’s royal anthem “Kongesangen,” or the King’s Song, which as you may have noticed shares the same melody with Britain’s “God Save the King.”
And that concludes the ceremony.
With Queen Mette-Marit absent from today’s ceremony due to health issues (11:02), the King is accompanied by Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, the heir apparent to the Norwegian throne.
Norwegian parliament’s president Masud Gharahkhani is now delivering a speech paying tribute to the late King Harald, saying that for many he was “an unwavering defender of our constitution and democratic government” and “a symbol of security, continuity and community.”
He ends the speech asking lawmakers to observe a minute of silence to the late King.
Norwegian King Haakon takes oath of loyalty in parliament
And just like that, King Haakon has just delivered the required oath.
In another ceremonial passage, he also confirmed that he will adopt his father’s motto for his reign: “All for Norway.”
The monarchy remains broadly popular: 72% of Norwegians support it, while 20% favour a republic or another form of government, according to a Norstat poll for broadcaster NRK published on Tuesday, the first poll on the issue taken since Harald’s death, Reuters reported.
King Haakon has now arrived at the Norwegian parliament, and the formal ceremony should get under way very shortly.
As required by the constitution, the King will declare:
“I promise and swear to rule the Kingdom of Norway in accordance with its constitution and laws, so help me God the Almighty and All-knowing.“
Haakon formally became king the moment his father died, but Norway’s constitution still requires him to take an oath of loyalty to the nation’s constitution – and this is what is going to happen today.
Prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre is in attendance, as are many other senior Norwegian leaders and diplomats.
New Norwegian King’s swearing-in ceremony in parliament about to get under way – live stream
If you want to keep an eye on the swearing-in ceremony of the new Norwegian King Haakon VIII, we now have a live stream up and running here:
Russia criticises Italy’s ‘ridiculous’ decision to appoint ex Ukrainian defence minister Fedorov as adviser
Lorenzo Tondo
in Palermo
Russia has described as “ridiculous” the Italian government’s decision to appoint Ukraine’s former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov as the country’s innovation adviser at the defence ministry.
“This is a perfect example of how western countries use Ukraine and Ukrainians,” said the Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova.
“While ordinary citizens are being mobilised and sent to the trenches in Ukraine to face certain death, the managers of the Kyiv regime are turning military defeats into personal international contracts – and they are not ashamed of it.”
Italy’s defence minister, Guido Crosetto, disclosed the offer shortly after Fedorov was dismissed in July, praising him as a driving force behind military innovation who had helped Ukraine regain the initiative in its war against Russia.
“I understand that they would prefer decisions concerning Italy to be taken by someone who checks with Moscow first, but for the time being that is still not the case,” Crosetto told Ansa in response. “We make decisions thinking only about Rome, not Moscow, Kyiv or Washington.”
Fedorov, 35, was fired six months after his appointment, having initiated reforms around procurement and mobilisation that put him on a collision course with the military establishment and political rivals.
In a post on X, Fedorov thanked Crosetto for “his personal support” and for the offer to serve as his adviser.
“In this role, I will assist Italy in adopting modern warfare technologies, enhancing its defence sector, and adapting to emerging global security challenges,” he said.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/sep/01/ukraine-russia-strikes-attacks-odesa-zelenskyy-putin-eu-defence-europe-latest-news-updates
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