NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, during his visit to Canada, highlighted the strategic challenge posed by Russia's reactivation of military installations in the Arctic. Together with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, they agreed on the need for increased NATO presence in the region. Stoltenberg pointed out that with Finland and Sweden's NATO membership, seven of the eight Arctic countries will be part of NATO, leaving Russia as the only non-member. Despite Canada's historical reservations about NATO's Arctic presence, Trudeau recognized the changed geopolitical situation post-Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Stoltenberg also expressed concern over China-Russia cooperation in shipping and resource exploration, noting China's self-declared Arctic nation status and its plans for significant investments in the region.

The death of dozens of tons of fish in the Oder River, bordering Germany and Poland since late July, is likely due to the overgrowth of toxic algae caused by industrial pollution. The Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) identified the algae Prymnesium parvum, known as golden algae, in all samples from the river. Scientists Elisabeth Varga, who analyzed the samples, and Tobias Goldhammer, suggest a direct link between the algae and fish deaths, warning that increased salinity levels from industrial pollution could lead to a recurrence during warm, dry summers.

Ukrainians are engaged in a battle to preserve their cultural heritage amid the war, with UNESCO reporting 175 cultural sites destroyed since the Russian invasion. The Ministry of Culture estimates around 100 museums and 17,000 items of great cultural value are in occupied areas. Museum workers, such as Natalia Tchertchik from the Hordizia museum in Zaporizhia, have been evacuating historically significant exhibits. The museum's director, Maxim Ostapenko, and colleagues joined the army but did not abandon their museum, having planned for the evacuation of artifacts since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. Despite attacks, including three Russian missiles hitting the island of Hordizia, the museum was not destroyed. Workers in museums in occupied areas continue to protect the buildings and their contents, emphasizing the importance of cultural heritage even in the event of a Ukrainian victory.