Russian Drones Strike Kyiv Bridge in Daylight Attack
Two Russian drones struck central Kyiv in broad daylight on Thursday, hitting a major bridge over the Dnipro River and other sites including a school, the National Academy of Sciences and a medical facility, killing at least one person and wounding dozens as part of intensified attacks using faster jet-powered drones.
Daylight Drone Strikes Hit Kyiv Bridge and School
Two Russian drones hit the Pivdennyi (Southern) bridge in Kyiv as a metro train crossed it, suspending public transport though preliminary checks found no critical structural damage. [3] The Pivdennyi bridge is one of the main arteries across the Dnipro river dividing western and eastern Kyiv. [5] Passengers described how dust from a blast wave entered their carriage through the ventilation system. [3] Ukrainian 5 Kanal TV reporter Mariana Mykytenko described how one of the passengers on her metro train shouted the word "Shahed" before the blast sent dust pouring into their carriage. [5] No-one in her compartment was hurt, she said, and the train took people to Vydubychi station on the right bank, then it didn't go any further. [3] Metro trains were suspended but road traffic was eventually allowed to resume. [5]
A Russian drone struck the third floor of a Kyiv school with over 100 students present; all had reached shelter and none were injured, though a wall partially collapsed. [3] The first big attack on the capital on Thursday came when a Russian drone slammed into the third floor of a school at about 09:00 local time. [5] Head teacher Valentyna Chorna said the shelter's structure is strong, so none of the children were hurt, neither were any staff, and they just kept on with their lessons. [3] Russia denies targeting civilians, but Chorna said that to destroy her nation they need to destroy children. [5] President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had to be held fully accountable. [3]
National Academy of Sciences Building Set Ablaze
A drone attack on the National Academy of Sciences building in Kyiv killed one woman, Natalia Bukalo, wounded about 20 others and started a major fire in the 19th-century structure. [1] The historic building of the 19th century was torn open by the Russian drone, with flames and tall columns of smoke coming out from inside while several people tried to save themselves on the cornices on the first and second floors. [1] The attack occurred in broad daylight and hit the headquarters of the National Academy of Sciences in Kyiv. [1] About twenty people were injured and a woman, Natalia Bukalo, was killed. [1] In the central district of the Ukrainian capital, some buildings of the Ministry of Education and Science were also affected by the Russian drone raids, near the University, the Opera Theatre and the German embassy. [1]
Air Defences Intercept Most Russian Drones
Ukrainian air defences downed 78 of 97 Russian attack drones (including 55 of 66 jet-powered ones) launched on 1 October. [4] Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 97 attack drones on 1 October, with Ukrainian air defence downing 78 of them. [4] Ukrainian Air Force stated that during the day on 1 October from 06:30 to 18:00, the enemy attacked Ukraine with 97 attack UAVs, 66 of which were jet-powered, Gerbera and other types of drones. [4] Early reports indicate that air defence forces shot down or jammed 78 UAVs, 55 of which jet-powered, during this period. [4] Ukrainian forces added that as of 18:00, there were about 10 attack drones still in the airspace. [4]
Zelenskyy Announces First Use of FP-7 Missile
Zelenskyy announced the first combat use of Ukraine's FP-7 missile, with the country moving toward mass production. [2] Zelenskyy says Ukraine moves toward mass production after first combat use of FP-7. [2]
Broader Russian Attacks and New Drone Tactics
Russia has increased its military by 15,000 to 1.55 million personnel and is pursuing a strategy of large-scale, low-cost jet-powered Geran drone and missile strikes to pressure Ukraine into capitulation by winter 2026-2027. [1] Putin has increased by 15,000 units the number of military personnel, bringing the total to 1,550,000. [1] The attacks on Russia now also occur in the morning and afternoon, with a new type of faster drones and therefore more difficult to intercept. [1] The new cynical strategy aims to give no respite to the population, constantly threatened from the sky. [1] Other bombings took place in Odessa, where there were four wounded, in Dnipro in a shopping centre, in a nine-storey condominium in Kharkiv with 25 wounded, including nine children, and in a warehouse in Brovary. [1] Ukrainian officials say a new design of Russia's jet-powered drones came into operation for the first time on Wednesday. [5] The drone has a 40kg warhead and is especially designed to destroy high-voltage electricity pylons and iron bridge structures, according to Zelensky's technology adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov, also known as Flash. [5] In recent weeks, Russia has had considerable success with jet-powered drones and Ukrainian air force officials say that, during September, at least 3,177 were launched. [5] Their high speed has caused problems for Ukraine's beleaguered air defences. [3] Kyiv's Institute of Nuclear Research came under drone attack on Wednesday night and, earlier in the week, one person was killed when a drone targeted the National Academy of Sciences. [5]
Border Incident Near Poland and International Reaction
A Russian drone struck a medical facility in the centre of the capital. [1] Rescuers are currently trying to quickly extinguish the fire. [1] Every Russian terrorist attack entails victims that could have been avoided if the pressure on Russia had finally become total. [1] The world must understand that the terrorists will go further if they are not stopped here, in Ukraine. [1] A jet drone reached the Ukrainian village of Starovoitove, in the Volyn region. [1] The explosion caused a shock wave that damaged the structures of the checkpoint at the border crossing, explains the interim governor of the region, Roman Romaniuk. [1] We are just two kilometres from the border with Poland. [1] The Polish government security centre explains that flights at the airports of Lublin and Rzeszów were temporarily suspended and checks were interrupted at the border crossings between Poland and Ukraine. [1] Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote on X that there was no violation of Polish airspace, but our air defence systems and fighters were ready to intervene. [1] The Institute for the Study of War proposes this analysis citing a well-known military blogger affiliated with the Kremlin that Vladimir Putin has a new strategy, given that the front line is essentially static. [1] The tsar is aiming at Russia's ability to launch large-scale, low-cost jet-powered Geran-type drones with relatively high penetration rates and is based on combined long-range attacks with ballistic missiles and jet drones against Ukraine to force it to capitulate in the winter of 2026-2027. [1]
What to watch next: Ukrainian air defences will continue tracking remaining jet-powered drones while production of the FP-7 missile advances toward mass scale.
