Russia targets Kyiv as Finnish, Norwegian leaders hold rare call with Putin
Russia attacked a major bridge in Kyiv as Finnish and Norwegian leaders held rare calls with both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy to push for peace talks.
Russia has attacked transport infrastructure in Ukraine's capital, targeting the South Bridge in overnight strikes that included 16 ballistic missiles and more than 280 drones. The attacks came as Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store held rare calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and separately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy condemned the timing of the attacks, noting Russian forces struck while emergency crews were still dealing with the aftermath of the initial strikes. The South Bridge is a critical transport link in Kyiv.
Casualties and Damage
The Russian attacks caused deaths and injuries in multiple cities, including Kharkiv and Pavlohrad. In the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, a drone strike on a bus killed one person and injured 30 others. Meanwhile, in the Russian city of Bryansk near the Ukrainian border, one person was killed and six others were wounded in another drone attack.
Russia's Defence Ministry claimed its forces targeted transport infrastructure in Kyiv and a logistics hub in the Kharkiv region, along with industrial sites and cargo vessels it said were serving military purposes.
Diplomatic Push
The attacks come as both sides prepare for talks. Kyiv and Moscow have agreed to hold United States-mediated technical meetings in Abu Dhabi in early November. The Finnish-Norwegian call with Putin was aimed at conveying messages on future negotiations ahead of these meetings.
This is a serious escalation in Russia's campaign targeting our logistics.
After speaking with Putin, Stubb and Store spoke with Zelenskyy, who said they had told Putin real steps were needed to de-escalate attacks on Ukraine's energy facilities and infrastructure. The Nordic leaders also discussed preparations for the November talks.
Ending the war requires direct discussions.
Stubb emphasized that the war's outcome would directly affect the security of Finland and Norway, both of which border Russia, and of Europe more widely. Most Western European leaders have avoided direct contact with Putin since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Related
