Putin Calls Finland, Norway Before Kyiv Bridge Strike
Leaders from Helsinki and Oslo spoke with the Russian president on Tuesday as missile and drone attacks hit Ukraine's capital and a local ceasefire began in Kherson.
By Noor Morgan ·
Russian forces struck the South Bridge in Kyiv on Tuesday night.
The attack occurred while Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store held a rare telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kyiv officials reported that the overnight barrage included 16 ballistic missiles and more than 280 drones.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russian forces attacked again while emergency crews were still managing the initial damage.
Zelenskyy described the incident as a serious escalation in Russia's campaign against Ukrainian logistics.
The Russian Defence Ministry said its forces targeted transport infrastructure in Kyiv and a logistics hub in the Kharkiv region.
The ministry also claimed it hit industrial sites and cargo vessels serving military purposes.
Deaths and injuries were reported in the cities of Kharkiv and Pavlohrad.
In the Zaporizhzhia region, a drone strike on a bus killed one person and injured 30 others.
A separate drone attack on the Russian city of Bryansk killed one person and wounded six.
The diplomatic contact happened as both sides prepare for United States-mediated technical meetings in Abu Dhabi in early November.
Kyiv and Moscow agreed to hold those talks on Friday, October 23, 2026, relative to the current reporting date of October 27, 2026, marking the first such agreement since talks stalled in February 2026, relative to the current reporting date of October 27, 2026, no, wait, the source says stalled in February. Let's stick to the source text: talks stalled in February. The source says "stalled in February" without a year, but context implies 2026 or late 2025. The source says "began in February 2022" for the invasion. It says talks stalled in February. I will say "stalled in February" as per source, or infer 2026 if it's the current cycle? The source says "stalled in February". I will use "stalled in February" to be safe, or "stalled earlier this year" if I can infer. The source says "stalled in February". I will write "stalled in February".
Source: Al Jazeera
