Russia strikes Kyiv bridge as Nordic leaders call Putin to ease tensions
Finnish and Norwegian leaders held a rare phone call with the Russian president while ballistic missiles and drones targeted Ukrainian logistics hubs.
By Beatriz Soto ·
Russian forces attacked the South Bridge in Kyiv during overnight strikes that included 16 ballistic missiles and more than 280 drones. Ukrainian officials confirmed the hit on the major transport infrastructure while emergency crews were still responding to the initial damage. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the timing as a serious escalation in Russia's campaign against Ukrainian logistics.
The assault also reached the cities of Kharkiv and Pavlohrad, causing deaths and injuries. In the Russian-controlled 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, near the border, left one person dead and six wounded. The Russian Defence Ministry stated that its forces targeted transport infrastructure in Kyiv, a logistics hub in Kharkiv, industrial sites, and cargo vessels used for military purposes.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store called President Vladimir Putin from Helsinki on Tuesday. The leaders conveyed messages regarding future negotiations ahead of technical meetings scheduled for early November in Abu Dhabi. According to statements from both governments, the call was a follow-up to talks held in Oslo on October 20 with Zelenskyy and US special envoy Steve Witkoff. Witkoff met Putin in St Petersburg on October 21, after which the Kremlin indicated readiness to resume US-mediated talks that had stalled in February.
Zelenskyy spoke with Stubb and Store after their call with Putin. He said the Nordic leaders told Putin that real steps were needed to de-escalate attacks on energy facilities and infrastructure. Zelenskyy noted that the group discussed preparations for the November talks and emphasized the need for peace and de-escalation. He stated that Russia must stop dragging out the war.
Stubb said the war's outcome would directly affect the security of Finland and Norway, both of which border Russia, as well as Europe more broadly. He asserted that ending the conflict requires direct discussions. Store added that the leaders stressed the importance of de-escalation. Both officials clarified that they spoke for their own nations rather than for Europe as a whole and confirmed that support for Ukraine would continue.
Most Western European leaders have avoided direct contact with Putin since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. The recent diplomatic efforts coincide with a renewed US push to end the war. President Donald Trump credited First Lady Melania Trump with securing a localized ceasefire in the southern Kherson region. That ceasefire took effect on Tuesday to allow aid into the Russian-controlled town of Oleshky.
