Russia targets Kyiv as Finnish, Norwegian leaders hold rare call with Putin

Finnish and Norwegian Leaders Push for Direct Talks Amid Russia’s Kyiv Bridge Strikes

Russian forces have struck a major bridge in Kyiv while Finnish and Norwegian leaders convened a rare direct call with President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to pursue peace.

Published On 27 Oct 2026

Russia has struck transport infrastructure in Ukraine’s capital, targeting a major bridge, while Finnish and Norwegian leaders held a rare direct call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Kyiv officials reported that the South Bridge was hit in overnight attacks that included at least 16 ballistic missiles and over 280 drones. President Zelenskyy stated that Russian forces launched further strikes even as emergency crews worked to manage the damage.

“This is a serious escalation in Russia’s campaign targeting our logistics,” he said.

A resident walks under a bridge damaged by shrapnel during an overnight Russian missile strike, in Kyiv, Ukraine, October 27, 2026 [Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters]

Russian attacks also resulted in fatalities and injuries across the cities of Kharkiv and Pavlohrad.

Russia’s Defence Ministry announced that its forces had targeted transport infrastructure in Kyiv and a logistics hub in the Kharkiv region, as well as industrial sites and cargo vessels deemed to serve military purposes.

In the Russian‑controlled Zaporizhzhia region, officials reported that a drone strike on a bus caused one death and thirty injuries.

A separate drone attack on the Russian city of Bryansk near the Ukrainian border left one person dead and six wounded.

The attacks occur as warring sides prepare for discussions. On Friday, Kyiv and Moscow said they had agreed to hold United States‑mediated technical meetings in Abu Dhabi in early November.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store contacted Putin from Helsinki on Tuesday to convey messages regarding future negotiations ahead of the Abu Dhabi talks, according to statements from both governments.

After speaking with the two leaders, President Zelenskyy reported on X that they had assured Putin that concrete steps were required to de‑escalate attacks on Ukraine’s energy facilities and infrastructure, as well as discussing preparations for the November meetings.

“There must be peace, de‑escalation is needed, and Russia must stop dragging out the war,” he said.

In the Finnish‑Norwegian statement, Stubb emphasized that the conflict’s outcome would directly impact the security of Finland and Norway—both of which border Russia—and Europe more broadly.

“Ending the war requires direct discussions,” he said.

Stubb said the leaders had stressed the importance of de‑escalation during the call.

Both leaders indicated they were speaking on behalf of their respective nations rather than Europe as a whole, reaffirming their continuous support for Ukraine.

Most Western European leaders have eschewed direct contact with Putin since Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

The calls emerge in the context of a renewed U.S. push to end the war. Both governments described Tuesday’s contact—conducted in consultation with Kyiv—as a follow‑up to OSLO talks held on October 20 with President Zelenskyy and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.

Witkoff met Putin in St. Petersburg the following day, after which the Kremlin indicated it was prepared to resume U.S.–mediated talks with Kyiv that had stalled in February.

U.S. President Donald Trump has also credited First Lady Melania Trump with securing a localized ceasefire in the southern Kherson region, which took effect on Tuesday to enable aid into the Russian‑controlled town of Oleshky.

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