Al Jazeera reports that Russia's gains in Ukraine have dwindled to almost nothing in 2026 — 117.38 sq km against 5,304 sq km in 2025 — while Kyiv hit eight refineries in a week and stepped up long-range strikes against its cities. Under an October 9 Trump-Putin diesel deal, four tankers of Russian diesel have reportedly found no buyers, with Senator Blumenthal warning a shipper that only Congress can legalise the sales.