Russia Strikes South Kyiv Bridge with 16 Ballistic Missiles and 280 Drones

Russia launched a nighttime attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv targeting the southern bridge, firing 16 ballistic missiles and more than 280 drones, according to officials in Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russian forces struck a second time while emergency teams were still dealing with the aftermath of the first attack, remarking: "This is a serious escalation in the Russian campaign aimed at targeting our logistics system."

Russia's Defense Ministry announced via Telegram that its forces targeted transport infrastructure in Kyiv and a logistics center in the Kharkiv region, as well as industrial sites and cargo ships that it described as serving military purposes. The attacks resulted in casualties in the cities of Kharkiv and Pavlohrad. A drone attack on a bus in the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia region killed one person and wounded 30 others, while one person was killed and six wounded in a drone strike on the Russian city of Bryansk near the Ukrainian border.

These attacks came amid accelerated diplomatic preparations. Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre made a call from Helsinki to Putin on Tuesday to convey messages regarding anticipated negotiations ahead of Abu Dhabi meetings in early November, after which the two leaders made a separate call to Zelenskyy. It should be noted that most Western European leaders have avoided direct contact with Putin since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

Zelenskyy revealed via the X platform that Stubb and Støre informed Putin that concrete steps are necessary for de-escalation and reducing attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities and infrastructure, noting that the talks also covered preparations for November negotiations. Zelenskyy stated: "Peace is necessary, de-escalation is essential, and Russia must stop prolonging the war." Stubb emphasized that "ending the war requires direct negotiations," while Støre stressed that both sides underscored the necessity of de-escalation, noting that they spoke on behalf of their countries rather than Europe, and that their support for Ukraine will continue.

The Finnish and Norwegian statements described the call, conducted in coordination with Ukraine, as a follow-up to talks held in Oslo on October 20 with Zelenskyy and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Wittkoff. The following day, Wittkoff met with Putin in St. Petersburg, after which the Kremlin announced its readiness to resume talks mediated by the United States between Kyiv and Moscow that had halted in February. Kyiv and Moscow had previously agreed to hold technical meetings under U.S. mediation in Abu Dhabi in early November.