Newsblog on the Ukraine War: Russia threatens with massive attacks on Kyiv

Many reports about the course of the war, such as casualty figures or details of battles, come from Ukrainian or Russian authorities and cannot be independently verified. For our live blog, in addition to our own research, we use material from the news agencies dpa, Reuters, epd, KNA, and Bloomberg. Important Updates Russia announces attacks on Kyiv and calls foreigners to leave the city Selenskij: Ukraine uses new ballistic missiles for the first time Russia shoots Kyiv with missiles and drones, Ukraine reports dead and wounded Selenskij promises relief against Russian jet drones Deaths after Russian glide bomb attacks in Sumy Russia announces attacks on Kyiv and calls foreigners to leave the city After Russia announced further targeted retaliatory attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, it calls on foreigners and diplomats to leave the capital. In response to the "terrorist acts" of the Ukrainian armed forces against the civilian population and civilian infrastructure, the Russian army continues its systematic attacks on military facilities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow reported. The ministry warned foreign citizens and diplomatic personnel against staying in Ukraine. "The responsibility for any adverse consequences lies entirely with those who ignore this warning," it was said in the statement. Russia has recently intensified its attacks on infrastructure in the Ukrainian capital. During an air raid on Saturday, a bridge over the Dnipro River was hit. The increasing attacks significantly affect the lives of the three million inhabitants of Kyiv ahead of the coming winter months. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated this week that Ukraine is paying the price for its own attacks on Russia. In recent months, both sides have intensified their attacks on grain ships in the Black Sea. In addition, Russian oil refineries and other facilities are repeatedly under Ukrainian bombardment. Civilians also died due to Ukrainian drones in the Russian border regions. Both Russia and Ukraine deny the accusation of targeting civilians or civilian infrastructure. Selenskij announces intensified attacks on Russian oil refineries According to President Volodymyr Selenskij, Ukraine wants to intensify its attacks on oil refineries in Russia. This is a reaction to a new Russian tactic to force the inhabitants of Kyiv and other cities to flee, Selenskij told the news agency Reuters. "We must react to their attacks on our energy," Selenskij said. "Especially on oil refineries: that is what brings them money for this war." Selenskij explained that Ukrainian intelligence has documents about a "new doctrine" from Russian President Vladimir Putin. "We have seen documents and we know that they allow attacks on infrastructure (...) roads, schools, hospitals to put people under pressure to leave the capital and other cities," Selenskij said. Russia had recently attacked the bridges over the Dnipro River in Kyiv for the first time. The Russian Foreign Ministry has called on foreigners to leave Kyiv. Representatives of Ukraine explained that Russia has stored hundreds of ballistic missiles to specifically attack Ukraine's electricity and water supply in the coming winter. Selenskij stated that Ukraine will not attack civilian targets in contrast to Russia. Russia also denies targeting civilian objects. Selenskij said that Putin wants to demonstrate strength by expanding attacks on civilian targets as his troops are losing ground on the front. Selenskij explained that Ukrainian intelligence has documents about a "new doctrine" from Russian President Vladimir Putin. "We have seen documents and we know that they allow attacks on infrastructure (...) roads, schools, hospitals to put people under pressure to leave the capital and other cities," Selenskij said. Russia had recently attacked the bridges over the Dnipro River in Kyiv for the first time. The Russian Foreign Ministry has called on foreigners to leave Kyiv. Representatives of Ukraine explained that Russia has stored hundreds of ballistic missiles to specifically attack Ukraine's electricity and water supply in the coming winter. Selenskij stated that Ukraine will not attack civilian targets in contrast to Russia. Russia also denies targeting civilian objects. Selenskij said that Putin wants to demonstrate strength by expanding attacks on civilian targets as his troops are losing ground on the front. Ukrainian President Selenskij during an interview with the news agency Reuters. . Reuters Moldova reports strikes by Russian drones and missiles According to Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Russian drones have struck Moldovan territory. "Five Russian air weapons, including 'Banderol' missiles and drones, have violated our airspace and exploded on our ground," Sandu wrote on the platform X. According to the army, explosions were heard in the southeast. There were no reports of casualties or damage initially; an air raid alert was reported in the neighboring Ukrainian city of Odessa at those times. Russia hits Liberian cargo ship off the coast of Odessa: one dead According to the Ukrainian port administration, Russia attacked a cargo ship flying the Liberian flag in a Black Sea port in the Odessa region. One person was killed and three others were wounded, the administration reported via Telegram. 13 other crew members were brought to safety. Russia has effectively resumed its blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports since summer. This has affected trade routes and restricted grain and steel exports. Kyiv: Russia hits another bridge According to Ukrainian reports, Russia has again damaged an important bridge in Kyiv. The north bridge over the Dnipro River was hit by recent Russian air attacks and is now closed to traffic, said Mayor Vitali Klitschko. There were no reports of casualties. In the past few days, the south bridge was also hit by Russian drones several times. Many inhabitants of the Ukrainian capital live east of the river and commute to work on the west side. Russia has repeatedly emphasized that its attacks are not directed against the civilian population. Anna Schimpp Sea blockade: Ukrainian agricultural exports have halved Due to the Black Sea ports blocked by Russia, Ukrainian agricultural exports have been halved - the Minister of Agriculture names dramatic figures: "This means that we cannot export about 30 million tons of agricultural products worth around 30 billion US dollars (about 26 billion euros) in the current fiscal year (2026/2027)," said Minister of Agriculture Taras Wyssozkyj according to a report from Interfax-Ukraine. In September, exports fell to 2.4 million tons or 46 percent of planned shipments. Of this, 1.4 million tons was grain. 54 percent of agricultural exports currently run through the Danube ports of the country. Another 41 percent of agricultural goods are transported by rail, and the remaining 5 percent by road. "In September we increased transport volumes both by rail and on the Danube compared to August," the minister explained. In early July, the Ukrainian military began attacking ships in the Black and Azov Seas, attacking Russian-controlled ports with drones. More than 300 tankers and freighters have been damaged by Kyiv, according to its own figures since then. In response, Russia intensified its attacks on Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea and the Danube, as well as on ships. This largely brought maritime traffic to a standstill in the Ukrainian and Russian Black Sea ports. Russia is trying to redirect some of its grain exports to other ports in the Baltic Sea and the Arctic Ocean. Both countries together usually have a world market share of up to 30 percent, especially for wheat. Important destination countries are in North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. On a Ukrainian farm, wheat is being loaded onto a truck. In September, the country could only export 1.4 million tons of grain. Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters Russian air attacks again hit a bridge in Kyiv According to Ukrainian authorities, Russian air attacks again hit the south bridge in Kyiv. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported this via the Telegram news service. The day before, Russian drone attacks had already caused fires on a school and the bridge over the Dnipro River in the capital. The three-million city could now face a traffic collapse. During further Russian drone attacks, at least one person was killed in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. Two others were wounded, the city administration reported via Telegram. According to the information, a drone struck a residential building in the eastern part of the city. The Ministry of Defense in Moscow stated that the targets included a road and railway bridge over the Dnipro River in Kyiv, a power plant in the capital region, and an industrial complex at the Ismajil port in the Odessa region. The bridge in Kyiv was used for transporting troops and military equipment to the Donbas. The facility in Ismajil served to supply the Ukrainian army with military goods and fuel. In addition, a cargo ship in the Black Sea was hit, which was transporting armaments and civilian as well as military-usable goods to the port of Odessa. More about the war in Ukraine can be read here: The Russian Ministry of Defense stated on Telegram that the armed forces hit a logistics center in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, a data center in Odessa, and a cargo ship in the nearby Black Sea port of Chornomorsk. The targets were used militarily. More about the war in Ukraine can be read here: Newsdesk Russia shoots Kyiv with missiles and drones, Ukraine reports dead and wounded In massive Russian attacks on the Ukrainian energy supply, five people died in the night of Wednesday according to official data. The energy infrastructure of Kyiv and the surrounding region was the main target of the attack, stated President Vladimir Selenskij. According to authorities, two women and a 14-year-old child were among the dead. Another person died on Wednesday from shelling a warehouse in Kyiv, said Mayor Vitali Klitschko. The capital was shrouded in smoke in the morning due to the fires. According to Klitschko, debris was also found on the site of a western embassy in the center of Kyiv. Russia is moving towards massive attacks on the country's energy infrastructure, according to Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhij Korezkyj. This is the first such massive and coordinated wave of attacks since the end of the last heating season, Korezkyj reported on Telegram. The Ukrainian Air Force managed to shoot down five ballistic missiles of different types, according to its own information. Military-related Telegram channels wrote that the number of missiles used was more than double. According to official data, 155 out of 188 attacking combat drones were shot down. This information cannot be independently verified. The Russian government stated that the strikes hit, among other things, a data center of the Ukrainian armed forces in Kyiv and power plants in the surrounding area. In addition, industrial facilities in the Odessa region and port facilities in Ismajil were hit. The Russian military in Moscow had previously spoken of attacks on the power plant of Vyschgorod north of Kyiv, the heating power plant Tripillja in the south, and a power substation. The NASA website Firms, which track fires worldwide by satellite, recorded fires at these locations. Firefighters extinguish a fire that broke out in a house in Kyiv after a Russian drone attack. Photo: Gleb Garanich/Reuters