Ukrainian war, UN: 15 thousand civilian victims in 2026. North bridge in Kiev hit during Merz's visit

In the first eight months of 2026, Ukraine averaged more than 400 civilians killed or injured every week. This was stated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Russia issues a new warning to diplomats and foreign citizens to leave Kiev. The Pivnichny Bridge (North Bridge) in Kiev was hit again, coinciding with the visit of Chancellor Friedrich Merz to the city

In the first eight months of 2026, on average, over 400 civilians were killed or injured in Ukraine every week, an increase of 55% compared to the same period in 2025. This was stated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, as reported by the Kyiv Independent. Turk's office documented 15,280 civilians killed or injured in the first eight months of the year as Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure intensified. On the front line, the bureau found that nearly 2,500 civilians were killed or wounded by Russian airstrikes in the same period, 62 percent more than the previous year.

Kiev's Pivnichny Bridge (North Bridge) was hit again, coinciding with Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to the city. This is what was announced by the mayor of the Ukrainian capital, Vitali Klitschko. "Impact on the roadway of the North Bridge. Emergency services are reaching the location," he said on Telegram. Previously, anti-aircraft sirens had sounded, signaling the approach of drones to the city.

Meanwhile, Ukraine would need "up to 70 billion euros more than expected" in 2027 to continue resisting the Russian invasion.

Zelensky: "This morning, the Russians once again hit the Pivnichnyi Bridge in Kiev with a drone. They attacked a common pharmaceutical warehouse in Sumy with drones. Tragically, one person was killed"

Merz and Zelensky pay homage to the fallen on Maidan Square

German Chancellor Friederic Merz met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the main war memorial on Kiev's Maidan Square, which houses thousands of Ukrainian flags and framed portraits of soldiers who fell in the war that has lasted more than four and a half years.

Medvedev: "With sanctions on Rassvet Starlink satellites will fall"

Dmitri Medvedev threatens attacks against American Starlink satellites if Washington hinders the development of the Russian Rassvet system. “Their low-orbit Starlink satellites would fall like decorations from a withered Christmas tree,” the vice-president of the Russian Security Council wrote on Telegram. The former president was reacting to press reports about Kiev's possible request to the United States to impose sanctions on the developers of Rassvet, considered the Russian equivalent of Starlink. “This would trigger a full-scale space war,” he warned. “I hope Americans understand this.” “Space is a very small place,” Medvedev added, stressing that “mutual respect is essential.”

Zelensky: "135 drones hit the North Kiev bridge during the night"

Russia launched 135 attack drones against Ukraine overnight, including over 50 jet-powered ones, and this morning again struck the Pivnichnyi bridge in Kiev with a drone. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky reports this on X, reporting one dead and six injured in the attacks. In Sumy, Zelensky writes, drones hit "an ordinary pharmaceutical warehouse", killing one person. "My condolences to his family and loved ones," he adds. In Dnipro, a communications infrastructure was hit. The attacks affected Kiev and the regions of Dnipro, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia. "Among the main targets of these terrorists, as always, are normal residential buildings and critical infrastructures: everything that constitutes normal daily life", denounces the president. Electricity outages are reported in some locations and emergency services are working in the affected locations. "It is important that Ukraine is not left alone in the face of this terror," Zelensky underlines. According to its tally, Russian forces have deployed over 1,900 attack drones, 1,700 aerial bombs and 25 missiles against the country this week alone. More than 800 drones were jet-powered. "Russia must be held accountable for this escalation," he concludes.

Zelensky: "Today important agreements with Merz for defense"

"There will be important agreements between Ukraine and Germany." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this on X, on the occasion of the visit to Kiev of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. “Today we prepare decisions that will give us in Ukraine and all of Europe greater capabilities to defend ourselves,” Zelensky writes, thanking Germany for its support and role in protecting Ukrainian lives from Russian attacks. "Russia must be stopped together. Thanks to everyone who helps us," he concludes.

German Chancellor Merz visits Kiev

Mayor of Kiev: "The city's North Bridge hit"

Kiev's Pivnichny Bridge (North Bridge) was hit again, coinciding with Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to the city. This is what was announced by the mayor of the Ukrainian capital, Vitali Klitschko. "Impact on the roadway of the North Bridge. Emergency services are reaching the location," he said on Telegram. Previously, anti-aircraft sirens had sounded, signaling the approach of drones to the city.

Moscow: "A cargo of military supplies for the Ukrainian army hit in Odessa"

Russian air defenses said they intercepted and destroyed 559 fixed-wing Ukrainian drones over Russian regions and the Black and Azov seas. This was announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense and reported by Tass. The interceptions covered the regions of Astrakhan, Belgorod, Bryansk, Volgograd, Voronezh, Kaluga, Kursk, Oryol, Rostov, Smolensk and Tula, the Moscow region, the republics of Adygea and Crimea, the Krasnodar Territory, as well as over the Azov and Black seas, the ministry said. Russian forces later said they had struck a data center in Odessa and a Nova Poshta logistics center in Chernomorsk, also in the Odessa region, with Geran drones. The Russian Defense Ministry also reported that it had carried out a drone attack on a cargo ship carrying military supplies for the Ukrainian army in the port of Odessa.

Merz in Kiev promises "drones and long-range systems"

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kiev with the promise of more military and economic aid to Ukraine as Moscow intensifies attacks on the capital and ahead of the arrival of winter. In particular, as the German news agency 'Dpa' anticipates, the chancellor arrives in Ukraine with the commitment to supply thousands of interceptor drones and to accelerate the production of long-range systems.

"If Russia is not stopped, its war machine will sooner or later turn against us," said Merz, who arrived in Kiev by train, accompanied by Economy Minister Katherina Reiche and ten heads of business, energy and defense companies. “I am here today because Ukraine needs all our support in the coming weeks,” added the Chancellor, who arrives in Kiev a day after Russia called on foreign diplomats to leave the city, amid a crescendo of intensity of massive raids against the capital, now on a daily basis and throughout the day. Intended attacks, as Russia has specified. to continue.

"Today I will tell the president (Volodymir Zelensky) that they can continue to count on our help," Merz specified, anticipating cooperation agreements between German and Ukrainian companies. The Chancellor organized the mission to Ukraine, not previously announced, at a time of strong internal difficulty, with the advance of the AfD in the eastern lands of the country and the collapse of his party.

Former Ukrainian Education Minister: “Our culture is under attack”

The professor who led the reform of the Ukrainian university system ten years ago comments on the raid against the headquarters of the Academy of Sciences, in the heart of Kiev: "It was terrible, the Russians have wanted to destroy our culture for centuries." And on the Kremlin's threats to Europe: "We are worried about the Baltic countries, the risk of them being attacked is real."

Merz: "In Kiev because Ukraine needs all our support"

“I went to Kiev today because Ukraine needs all our support in the coming weeks.” Merz declared this in a statement released after his arrival in the Ukrainian capital where the German Chancellor arrived for an unannounced visit aimed at demonstrating support for the country in the conflict against Russia. "If Russia is not stopped, its war machine will sooner or later turn against us."

Zelensky: "We will respond to Russian attacks, refineries targeted"

"First of all, Russian oil refineries." Volodymyr Zelensky indicates possible targets of Ukrainian retaliation for Moscow's attacks on Kiev's energy infrastructure. The Ukrainian president spoke about it in an interview with Reuters, relaunched on his account The Ukrainian president, however, ruled out attacks against civilian targets: "We will not respond, obviously, as they do, against civilian targets. We cannot do it, because we are another people."

Russian drones hit cars in Kharkiv, at least 2 dead

At least two people have been killed in Russian drone strikes in the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv. According to regional authorities, Russian combat drones chased and struck two private cars, killing two people and seriously injuring a passenger in one of the vehicles. During the day, several other vehicles were reportedly targeted and destroyed by drones in the region, without causing further injuries. The new victims come in the aftermath of the Russian air attack on the city of Kharkiv, in which, according to Ukrainian authorities, two people died. Another 32 were injured in bombings carried out also with glide bombs, the regional military governor Oleh Syniehubov reported on Telegram.

Russian attack on cargo ship in the Black Sea, one dead and 3 injured

A sailor died and three other crew members were injured in a Russian attack on a civilian cargo ship flying the Liberian flag in a port near Odessa, on the Black Sea. This was reported by the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, cited by the Kyiv Independent, specifying that the victim was an engineer and that 13 other crew members were evacuated. "It is yet another deliberate attack by Russia against civil shipping. Moscow continues to terrorize the merchant fleet and sailors who risk their lives every day to ensure the functioning of Ukrainian sea routes," the authority denounced. The attack comes as international pressure grows on Moscow to halt attacks on civilian shipping in the Black Sea and allow grain exports from Ukraine to pass through. According to Kiev, Russia has intensified attacks on Ukrainian merchant ships and port infrastructure in recent months. On September 17, a Russian drone struck a Tanzanian-flagged civilian ship headed for a Ukrainian port, killing the captain and injuring three other crew members.

UN: "400 civilians killed in Ukraine since the beginning of the year, +55% compared to 2025"

In the first eight months of 2026, on average, over 400 civilians were killed or injured in Ukraine every week, an increase of 55% compared to the same period in 2025. This was stated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, as reported by the Kyiv Independent. Turk's office documented 15,280 civilians killed or injured in the first eight months of the year, as a result of the intensifying…