Fire at NORSI oil refinery in Kstovo in Nizhny Novgorod region, Russia after Ukrainian drone strikes, August 26, 2026
EA-Ukraine VideoCast: What is the Meaning of “Glory to Ukraine”?
Saturday’s Coverage: Russia Targets Kyiv Bridges for 3rd Straight Day
UPDATE 0740 GMT:
Russian forces attacked a Liberian-flagged cargo ship, killing a motor engineer and injuring three other crew, at a Black Sea port near Odesa in southern Ukraine on Saturday.
Thirteen crew were evacuated from the vessel.
Russia is blockading Ukrainian ports, trying to cut off grain exports, with the attacks on foreign-flagged ships.
UPDATE 0729 GMT:
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz has arrived in Kyiv, accompanied by Economy Minister Katherina Reiche and 10 CEOs from German defense companies.
Merz said on arrival:
I travelled to Kyiv today because Ukraine needs all our support in the coming weeks.
If Russia is not stopped, sooner or later its war machine will turn against us….I will tell President Zelenskyy today: you can continue to count on our help.
Ukraine Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted, “A very substantive agenda lies ahead today, focused on strengthening Ukraine, our defence and resilience, and our shared European security.”
Herzlich willkommen in Kyjiw, Herr @bundeskanzler!
This morning, I was glad to welcome Chancellor Friedrich Merz to Kyiv. Today, he will hold talks with President @ZelenskyyUa on all matters of our bilateral, European, and international agenda. Thank you for coming to Ukraine at this important time and for Germany’s comprehensive support for our country.
Ukraine and Germany have built a strong strategic partnership, and we are determined to deepen it further. We highly value Germany’s strong leadership in Europe, which is particularly important at this moment.
Just yesterday, Germany celebrated the unity that changed Europe. Today, Ukrainians are defending the freedom, security, and unity of Europe, and Germany stands firmly by our side.
A very substantive agenda lies ahead today, focused on strengthening Ukraine, our defence and resilience, and our shared European security.
We deeply value Germany’s leadership, support, and friendship. Willkommen in der Ukraine!
— Andrii Sybiha (@andrii_sybiha) October 4, 2026
ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky says Kyiv will escalate its attacks on Russian oil refineries, without targeting civilians, because of Moscow’s attempt to force Ukrainian surrender with airstrikes.
Zelensky cited intelligence documents that Vladimir Putin has issued a new doctrine for military attacks on a broader range of civilian sites and infrastructure ahead of winter.
Zelensky told Reuters:
We saw documents and we know that they allow them to attack infrastructure, logistics, and especially to attack in the cities, in the villages, everywhere, roads, schools, hospitals.
To pressure people to leave the capital, leave different cities: this is the goal of the operation.
The President explained, “We have to respond in any way. With their attacks on our energy, we have to respond on their energy. First of all, oil refiners: what gives money to them for this war.”
However, he emphasized, “We will not respond, of course … on any civilian objects.”
Russian attacks across Ukraine murdered at least six people on Saturday. For the third straight day, they targeted bridges across the Dnipro River in Kyiv, disrupting traffic and causing long jams.
Zelensky: Fighting Back in the East
Zelensky noted that Putin has switched to an emphasis on airstrikes as Russia is stalled in its invasion on the ground. He cited a Ukrainian counteroffensive, Operation Vivaldi, which has liberated aroun 140 square km (54 square miles) of the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine.
To counter Russia’s airstrikes, Ukraine is working to offset low supplies of ammunition for its fighter aircraft that bring down about 60% of the Russian jet-powered drones. Kyiv is working to boost jamming capabilities, and in the second half of October, it will receive a first shipment of small, cheap air defense missiles.
Boosting its counter-attacks, Ukraine has now deployed its domestically-made ballistic missil, the FP-7 with a range of about 250 km (155 miles), and hopes to have the longer-range FP-9 ready by autumn.
