On Oct. 2 Vladimir Putin signed a law that allows criminals to join the army in return for immunity. According to independent Russian outlet Istories, the government wants to conscript 40 percent of 60,000 prisoners with pre-trial detention status.

The Austrian Freedom Party, which ran on a platform of limiting immigration, easing sanctions with Russia and Euroscepticism won the Austrian Election on Sept 29. However, forming a coalition will be challenging with other major parties refusing to work with them.

A significant development in the lead-up to the Moldovan presidential election occurred on Sept. 24, when the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) released its list of approved candidates. The agency notably did not register Igor Munteanu, one of the main political opponents of incumbent President Maia Sandu.

On Sept 21, 2024, around 20 Russian women gathered outside the capital holding up banners that demanded a meeting with Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and the return of their mobilized loved ones. The demonstration took place on the second anniversary of the decree signed by President Vladimir Putin ordering the mobilization of reserve citizens to the war in Ukraine. 

On Aug 6, 2024, Ukrainian armed forces launched an incursion into the Kursk region of Russia. More than 1,000 Ukrainian troops, backed by tanks and armored vehicles, caught Russia off guard, prompting Moscow to declare a state of emergency and rush reinforcements to the region.

On Sept. 8, a Russian-operated Shahed-type drone crashed in Latvia's Rezekne region. The drone had entered Latvian airspace from Belarus and was tracked by air defense systems. While there was no immediate harm, Latvian Minister of Defense Andris Sprūds emphasised this incursion's seriousness, as any violation of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member's airspace could have broad security ramifications.