German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv by special train on October 4 as Russian drones struck the capital's Dnipro crossings for a fourth consecutive day, with a new strike on the Northern Bridge — hit for a second straight day — injuring two people and damaging the roadway and a heating main [2][22][19][4]. Air raid sirens sounded within an hour of Merz's arrival, and debris from intercepted drones fell on a residential building [24][7]. The visit produced a €1.3 billion ($1.5bn) German aid package — roughly €1bn for weapons including interceptor drones and thousands of IRIS-T missiles, plus €350m for energy repairs — alongside 15 bilateral agreements valued at over €8.5bn [6][12][5].
Russia's Defence Ministry stated that strikes on Ukrainian military and industrial installations would be intensified in response to Zelensky's pledge to increase attacks on Russian oil refineries, placing what it called «полную личную и политическую ответственность» (full personal and political responsibility) on the Ukrainian president [1][14]. The Russian Foreign Ministry warned foreign nationals and diplomats to leave Kyiv, stating that responsibility for any negative consequences «lies entirely with those who ignore this warning» [6][13][32]. Russia frames the bridge strikes as targeting military logistics, with the Defence Ministry stating the bridge is used to move troops and military cargo [46].
Ukrainian officials and Western leaders describe the bridge campaign as terror aimed at civilians. Merz called the attacks «ежедневные военные преступления» (daily war crimes) and told Putin to end what he called a senseless war [5][19][25]. Zelensky said intelligence documents show Putin approved a «new doctrine» expanding civilian targets — including infrastructure, roads, schools and hospitals — to pressure people to leave cities [29][15]. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported the Northern Bridge roadway was struck and a heating main damaged, cutting hot water to part of the Desnianskyi district [12][32]. The Institute for the Study of War assessed the bridge strikes as a systemic campaign to split the capital and disrupt Dnipro crossings [47]. EU Ambassador Katarina Mathernova rejected Moscow's warning, stating that «threatening us will not stop Europe's support for Ukraine,» and German Ambassador Boris Ruge confirmed the German mission was staying [5][22].
The same day, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) stated that its Alpha special operations drones struck the Khanskaya air base in Russia's Republic of Adygea, approximately 500 km from Ukrainian-controlled territory, hitting a Su-35 multirole fighter, a Su-34 fighter-bomber, and an ammunition depot [20][12]. The SBU described both aircraft as «carriers of guided aerial bombs, which the enemy massively uses along the front line and against Ukrainian cities» [12]. NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System independently detected thermal anomalies across the air base perimeter, though satellite images published online did not independently confirm specific aircraft losses [38][37].
Zelensky told Reuters that Ukraine would intensify strikes on Russian oil refineries in response to attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, stating: «With their attacks on our energy, we have to respond on their energy. First of all, oil refineries: what gives money to them for this war» [12][29]. Razumkov Centre expert Oleksí Melnik pointed to fuel queues across Russian regions as evidence the refinery campaign is working, and energy expert Volodímir Omelchenko warned that a simultaneous diesel and gasoline shortage would hit Russian transport, industry, agriculture and the budget [11]. US President Donald Trump has insisted that Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities drive up global fuel prices and has pressed Kyiv to halt them [11][15].
Merz framed Germany's support as existential for European security, stating: «Wenn Russland nicht gestoppt wird, richtet sich seine Kriegsmaschinerie früher oder später gegen uns» (If Russia is not stopped, its war machine will sooner or later turn against us) [2][9][33]. French researcher Yohann Michel stated France «serions incapables d'intercepter des vagues de plusieurs centaines de drones» (would be unable to intercept waves of several hundred drones) of the kind Ukraine endures [18]. A French government note documented Russian sabotage, assassination and airliner plots, and President Emmanuel Macron warned that a new Russian mobilization of 300,000 men was a credible scenario [18][44]. Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Maier warned of increased Russian attacks on German infrastructure [30].
In Germany, the AfD's co-leader Alice Weidel attacked Merz for «promising further billions in German taxpayer money that is missing from the pension and health insurance funds, while Germany is mired in its worst energy crisis» [9].
Zelensky announced at a press conference alongside Merz that the United States is proposing a technical-level trilateral meeting with Russia and Ukraine by the end of October, possibly hosted by the UAE [35][36][5]. India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India has gone «beyond advocacy» to hold conversations with both Russia and Ukraine on Black Sea shipping safety, grain and energy exports, and non-attack possibilities [10]. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called India's proposal «the most comprehensive» of four ceasefire proposals Ukraine has received [10]. Turkey and the UN are preparing new talks with Russia and Ukraine on Black Sea navigation and port security, though Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there are «no concrete details» about the initiative [48].
Zelensky stated that Russia may have shared jet-powered drone technology with North Korea in return for Pyongyang's provision of shells and ballistic missiles [39][40]. Japanese and South Korean outlets treated the alleged transfer as a threat to East Asian security, with Sankei Shimbun reporting that North Korea is said to have established a drone production base on its own territory with Russian assistance [40]. A multinational sanctions monitoring team published a report in September stating that North Korean workers are working at drone factories inside Russia [40]. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said she was «не осведомлена о ситуации» (not aware of the situation) regarding Russia-North Korea cooperation [43].
A joint assessment by the African Union, AfDB, UN and UNECA warned that the Middle East conflict layered onto the Ukraine war's effects poses major risks to African food, fuel and fiscal security, projecting up to 10 million more people into acute food insecurity [49]. Brazilian reporting traced higher bread, meat and cooking-oil prices to fertilizer import dependence and reduced Ukrainian grain supply four years into the war [50].
The Russian Defence Ministry has pledged to intensify strikes on Ukrainian military and industrial infrastructure [28][22]. Ukraine's General Staff stated that drone storage, preparation and launch sites are among its top priorities for strikes [34]. The proposed US trilateral talks by end of October remain the named diplomatic track [35][36], separate from the Turkish-UN Black Sea initiative on which Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there are no concrete details [48].