Russian strikes on Kyiv killed one person and injured eight, damaging medical facilities, including an intensive care unit, according to mayor Vitali Klitschko.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said a ballistic missile struck a university campus late on Monday. “The missiles hit very crowded areas, and there is not a single military facility nearby. This was a strike directly on the city, on its infrastructure,” he said on social media.
The attack came hours before a temporary ceasefire was due to begin in Russian-occupied Oleshky, in southern Kherson Oblast, to allow humanitarian aid deliveries amid severe shortages of food, water and medicine.
Separately, a new UN report has found that Moscow has committed “crimes against humanity” in its war in Ukraine.
Russian authorities continuously attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during freezing temperatures last winter, which led to “intolerable” living conditions for Ukrainians, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine said.
It claimed Moscow had also intentionally directed attacks at civilian targets and that it had found “compelling evidence” that Russian authorities had trafficked people to fight from 29 countries, which it said is against international law.
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We cannot fight until the last Ukrainian – it’s time to call Putin’s bluff
Key Points
- Russian attack on Kyiv kills one, injures 10, hits educational institution, metro station
- Ukraine disputes Elon Musk's claim that its military violated Starlink's terms of service
- Zelensky says US fully resumes warnings on ballistic strikes
- Zelensky announces trilateral meeting with Russia and US
- Britain must be ready for war in 1,000 days, Wes Streeting warns
Watch: Trump has finally abandoned the West for Putin. This is what the UK and Europe must do next
04:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRussia and Ukraine begin localised ceasefire to allow for humanitarian operation in Oleshky
02:59 , Maroosha MuzaffarRussia and Ukraine have started a localised ceasefire to allow for a humanitarian operation to begin in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, both sides said on Tuesday.
Russia's defence ministry said on Telegram it stopped shelling in the direction of the Ukrainian city of Kherson from 4am Moscow time (0100 GMT) to prepare for the humanitarian operation in Oleshky, just across the Dnipro River from Kherson.
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's parliament commissioner for human rights, confirmed in a Facebook post the ceasefire has started at the same time.
“As head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, I confirm that the Ukrainian side is honouring its commitments," he wrote.
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a localised ceasefire around the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine, an arrangement that will enable aid deliveries and allow evacuations from a frontline town suffering acute shortages of food and medicine.
Russia says upcoming talks on Ukraine do not restrict either side's military action
02:00 , Nicole Wootton-CanePlanned 3-way peace talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States next month do not place any restrictions on either side when it comes to continuing military action, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, when asked about a Ukrainian attack on the Russian region of Voronezh.
Peskov said Russia and Ukraine continued to carry out strikes on each other regardless of an agreement to resume 3-way negotiations which are scheduled to be held in a couple of weeks in Abu Dhabi or Switzerland.
Russian attack on Kyiv kills one, injures 10, hits educational institution, metro station
01:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneA Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Monday killed at least one person and injured 10, including students at a dormitory, officials said.
The late-evening attack hit an educational institution, residences, an underground station and medical facilities.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, writing on Telegram, said one person had been killed near a supermarket. Ukraine's state rescue services said a body was found by a heavily damaged apartment building.
Klitschko put the number of injured at 10, many of them outside a student dormitory at the State Trade and Economics University on the east side of the Dnipro River. Nine people were being treated in hospital, with three in serious condition.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, also writing on Telegram, gave no precise figures for dead and injured.
"For the moment, the number of people is not exactly known," Zelenskiy said. "But, unfortunately, there are casualties. There are injured. Rescue operations are continuing."
Comment: We cannot fight until the last Ukrainian – it’s time to call Putin’s bluff
00:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe surge in civilian casualties in Ukraine shows how the West, including the UK, must defend Kyiv’s airspace or face worse in the future, explains world affairs editor Sam Kiley.
We cannot fight until the last Ukrainian – it’s time to call Putin’s bluff
Zelensky says there are 'casualties and injured' in attack on Kyiv educational institution
Monday 26 October 2026 23:40 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that "casualties and injured" occurred in a missile attack that struck an educational institution, a park, residences and the city's metro.
"For the moment, the number of people is not exactly known," Zelensky said on Telegram. "But, unfortunately, there are casualties. There are injured. Rescue operations are contining."
The president added: "It is precisely in such conditions, when the threat is constant, when strikes can happen at any moment and on cities and villages, that artificial delays in air defence for Ukraine are helping terror."
It comes after he criticised the US for delays in issuing Patriot air missiles for Ukraine earlier on Monday.
Recap: Vucic defeated in Serbia election as student protest movement claims historic win
Monday 26 October 2026 22:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneSerbia’s long-standing leader Aleksandar Vucic, admitted defeat on Sunday following an election against a broad, student-led opposition movement that had demonstrated against his government for two years.
His loss represents a major political transformation in the Balkan nation, where Vucic held near-total authority for 14 years. Endorsed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Vucic had condemned the student protesters, framing their campaign as a foreign plot to remove him.
Crowds quickly gathered in the capital, Belgrade, and across other Serbian cities to celebrate the outcome.
You can read more below:
Vucic defeated in Serbia election as student protest movement claims historic win
Russian missile strikes on Ukraine's Kharkiv kill two, injure four, mayor says
Monday 26 October 2026 21:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneTwo people have been killed and four injured in Russian strikes on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
He said there had been three strikes on a city district and that a high-rise apartment block and private homes had been damaged.
Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said Russian forces had launched missiles at the city, a frequent target of attacks about 30 km (18 miles) from the Russian border.
In neighbouring Dnipropetrovsk region, Governor Oleksandr Hanzha said Russian forces had launched more than 50 drone and artillery attacks.
A drone strike in the city of Pavlohrad killed one person and wounded 10, he said. Three of the injured were seriously hurt.
Kyiv under attack, mayor says strike near underground station
Monday 26 October 2026 20:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Ukrainian capital Kyiv was under missile attack from Russian forces on Monday and the city's mayor said there had been a strike next to an underground station.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko also said an emergency crew had come under attack and there were some injuries.
Pictures posted online on unofficial Telegram channels showed damage at an underground station. Other posts said energy infrastructure sites had come under attack.
Reuters witnesses said a series of explosions had jolted the city. They said power had been cut in districts on the east side of the Dnipro River.
Watch: Trump says Musk restored Ukraine's Starlink access, declines to say if they spoke
Monday 26 October 2026 20:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRussia considers proposals to secure Black Sea grain shipping, Interfax reports
Monday 26 October 2026 19:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRussia is reviewing various proposals to ensure the safe transport of grain across the Black Sea, and is in contact with Turkey on this issue, Interfax news agency reported on Monday, citing Russian deputy foreign minister Alexander Alimov.
"We are in dialogue with all countries – and by that I mean Turkey as well. And not just with Turkey, we are discussing this issue with various countries, but so far I do not see any prospects for reviving the grain deal," Interfax quoted Russian deputy foreign minister Alexander Alimov as saying.
In depth: Putin targets Ukrainian civilians in barbaric ‘safari’ attacks as Trump turns blind eye
Monday 26 October 2026 18:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneOrdinary Ukrainians are now the targets of Russia’s bombs and drones as Putin gets more help from the US president, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley.
Putin targets civilians in barbaric ‘safari’ attacks as Trump turns blind eye
Russian authorities committed crimes against humanity in Ukraine, UN report says
Monday 26 October 2026 17:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRussian authorities have committed crimes against humanity during their war with Ukraine, a new UN report has found.
Published on Monday, the report found Russia had committed the crimes against humanity of intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects and the crimes against humanity of other inhumane acts with continuous attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
“The frequency, intensity and geographic range of systematic waves of attacks with hundreds of drones and missiles at a time have increased over the years and inflicted significant damage to Ukraine’s energy sector,” the report said.
“Last winter, when temperatures dropped to minus 21°C, millions of people in Ukraine faced lengthy outages of heating, electricity, water, and gas, and had to cope with intolerable living conditions.”
It added older people and those with reduced mobility have been particularly badly affected as officials expressed concern about the upcoming winter.
“As the cold season approaches, the attacks have intensified once again, raising serious concerns about the threats to civilians’ lives and health,” said Erik Møse, Chair of the Commission.
Slovakia to develop Russia ties in areas not hit by sanctions, minister says after Moscow talks
Monday 26 October 2026 16:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneSlovakia will continue to pursue its national interests and develop cooperation with Russia in areas not affected by sanctions, Slovak foreign minister Juraj Blanar said on Monday after talks in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
Blanar was in Moscow as Slovakia aimed to discuss Russian energy supplies while resuming a cooperation process suspended after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The restart of consultations follows repeated trips to Moscow by Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose views stand out in the 27-member EU since the defeat of pro-Russian Hungarian leader Viktor Orban in an April election.
Energy was a main topic of the renewed intergovernmental commission that held talks on Monday, the Slovak Foreign Ministry said, adding that Blanar was informed that Russia remained ready to fulfil agreed contracts.
Slovakia buys Russian oil and gas but is meant to stop the gas purchases by late 2027 under an EU plan to deprive Russia of financial resources that fund its war in Ukraine.
"The Russian Federation is difficult to replace for the stability of energy supplies not only for Slovakia, but also for global energy trade, which is evident now amid the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz," Blanar said.
"Slovakia is a member of the European Union and NATO and we respect the rules that bind us, but within those we seek opportunities for cooperation in the interest of Slovakia's national interests," he added.
Zelensky says Ukraine 'waiting on US' for Patriot missiles
Monday 26 October 2026 15:48 , Nicole Wootton-CaneVolodymyr Zelensky has hit out at US secretary of war Pete Hegseth over delays in approving supplies of crucial Patriot missiles to Ukraine.
In a post on X, he gave an update on the state of Ukraine’s missile supplies, but said he had been waiting “months” for Mr Hegseth to sign off on the weapons.
“We are working on several tracks – with the United States, Europe, and other partners that have stocks of PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles,” he wrote. “In particular, we have been waiting for nearly a month for Mr Hegseth to sign off on missiles for Patriots and NASAMS. I instructed our team to raise this with the American side once again. Conversations with other countries are also ongoing.”
I held a coordination call on the situation with weapons supplies from our partners and efforts to restore energy infrastructure following Russian strikes. Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi reported on the work underway in the regions. I thank every repair crew and all energy… pic.twitter.com/5lGjcp7Q0i
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 26, 2026
Six people injured in Russian strikes on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia and Chernihiv
Monday 26 October 2026 12:00 , Namita SinghA Russian strike on Ukraine's southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia overnight injured four people, regional governor Mykhailo Semikin said on Telegram on Monday.
Another two were injured in Russian strikes on the Chernihiv region, Ukraine's emergency service said on Telegram.
Russian forces hit cargo vessel, Ukrainian port infrastructure in Black sea, RIA reports
Monday 26 October 2026 11:00 , Namita SinghThe Russian defence ministry says its forces have hit a cargo vessel bound for the Ukrainian port of Odesa, state news agency RIA reported on Monday.
The ministry said it was transporting cargo for the Ukrainian military, without providing evidence.
Russian forces also hit infrastructure at three berthing terminals in the port of Chornomorsk, the ministry said.
Russia says Oleshky ceasefire could set precedent for more local truces
Monday 26 October 2026 10:28 , Adam WithnallThe Kremlin says a local humanitarian ceasefire agreed for the Russian-controlled town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine could set a precedent for similarceasefires elsewhere in Ukraine.
The ceasefire, announced by the United States on Friday, comes as residents of the town, controlled by Russian forces since February 2022 and located close to the front line, have reported a deepening food crisis with both sides accusing each other of blocking supplies.
The White House said first lady Melania Trump had "successfully secured" the Oleshky truce, saying she and her team had spoken "directly with Russian and Ukrainian leadership to define the terms of the localised ceasefire".
Others had previously called for a similar agreement in Oleshky on humanitarian grounds, with the Pope saying it could be a first step towards "dialogue and peace".
Ukrainian strike kills security guard in Russian industrial zone
Monday 26 October 2026 10:00 , Namita SinghA Ukrainian missile strike on an industrial zone in the city of Yelets in Russia's southwestern Lipetsk region killed a security guard and injured a paramedic, regional governor Igor Artamonov said on Sunday.
Artamonov said the security guard worked at one of the industrial facilities located on the site. The paramedic at the medical centre was taken to hospital, where she was receiving the necessary treatment, the governor said.
The governor did not identify the facility that was hit in the strike.
Reuters could not independently verify the report. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.
Russian attacks hit Ukraine’s Sumy region, leaving one injured and damaging civilian infrastructure
Monday 26 October 2026 09:00 , Namita SinghRussia says it hit two cargo vessels and Ukrainian logistics hubs
Monday 26 October 2026 08:00 , Namita SinghThe Russian defence ministry said on Sunday that its drones had struck a cargo vessel bound for the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk in an overnight attack and another cargo vessel en route to the port of Odesa during the day.
The ministry said the vessels were being used to supply the Ukrainian army.Russian forces also hit a logistics centre, a distribution centre and a logistics terminal in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv overnight.
The ministry said the facilities had been used for storage and distribution of dual-use cargo for the Ukrainian military.Reuters could not independently verify the defence ministry's information.
Zelensky says US fully resumes warnings on ballistic strikes
Monday 26 October 2026 04:00 , Namita SinghUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said US warnings about imminent Russian ballistic missile strikes, critical to Ukraine's air defences, had been fully restored after recent issues.
Speaking to Ukraine's TSN television channel, he said SpaceX's Starshield satellite internet had been working at speeds of up to 420 kilometres per hour since early on Saturday morning, after it had been throttled earlier in October amid diplomatic pressure on Kyiv from Washington.
Zelensky said he discussed both issues in a meeting with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo, casting the changes as results of that meeting.
The US has pressed Ukraine to suspend strikes on Russian oil refineries, which it argues added to high energy prices, a sensitive issue for the Trump administration amid its war on Iran and US midterm elections next month.
Zelensky said that in order for Kyiv to halt the strikes, Moscow must stop hitting Ukraine's power infrastructure, or the US should allow the use of Starshield over Russia to detect launch places of its ballistic missiles, or supply Ukraine with Patriot missiles.
