As NATO and Ukraine officials gathered in Brussels on Wednesday, several NATO countries pushed for lifting restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied weapons, particularly long-range missiles, according to a diplomatic source who spoke to Agence France-Presse. In a formal statement, NATO nations condemned the recent “indiscriminate” Russian strikes across Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized that member states reiterated their commitment to increasing military support for Ukraine. “We must continue to provide Ukraine with the equipment and munitions it needs to defend itself against Russia’s invasion. This is vital for Ukraine’s ability to stay in the fight,” he stated.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski argued that since Russia is using long-range weapons against Ukraine, allies should permit Ukraine to use whatever means necessary, including the weaponry provided by Western allies, and to increase such supplies. Sikorski also proposed seizing Russia’s $320 billion in assets held in the West and transferring them to Ukraine. “Let us confiscate the assets from the aggressor and give them to the victim of aggression,” he suggested.
In a broadcast conversation with Sikorski, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba highlighted that Kyiv’s most significant challenge is the fear of escalation among its allies. “The war is about hardware – money, weapons, resources – but the real problems are always in the minds… Many of our partners fear discussing Russia’s future… This is troubling because without addressing the source of the threat, we cannot develop a proper strategy,” Kuleba stated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy echoed these sentiments, urging that lifting restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range strikes could help end the war swiftly and justly for Ukraine and the world. Zelenskiy also reported a deadly Russian glide bomb strike on Kupyansk in eastern Ukraine, which resulted in several fatalities and injuries, damaging key infrastructure.
Just days after a Russian missile strike in Kryvyi Rih killed four people, another Russian attack during an official mourning period injured nine civilians and destroyed 230 cars, according to Dnipropetrovsk oblast governor Serhii Lysak. “When Kryvyi Rih is in mourning, the enemy strikes again,” Lysak said, condemning the attack on civilians.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian air defenses intercepted more than 10 Russian drones targeting Kyiv in the third attack on the capital in four days, according to Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s military administration. Damage was reported in residential areas, including an apartment and a playground. Russian drone and missile attacks were also reported in other regions, including Kharkiv, while Ukrainian drones targeted Russian-occupied Sevastopol.
In Russia, authorities are evacuating villages near the Ukrainian border in Belgorod, as reported by oblast governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. He cited the tense operational situation and threats posed by Ukrainian forces, which have recently invaded Russia’s Kursk region.
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Zelenskiy described the situation in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, as “extremely difficult” with intense fighting around key areas. Ukrainian forces are facing fierce battles near the city, while Russian forces claimed to have captured a settlement 20km from Pokrovsk, where mandatory evacuations are ongoing.
Russian bombardments in the Donetsk region resulted in six deaths, with significant damage reported in Izmailivka and Chasiv Yar. The continued evacuations in Pokrovsk and surrounding areas are affecting tens of thousands of residents, with banks expected to close by Sunday.
Ukrainian military intelligence claimed responsibility for a confirmed attack on an oil depot in Russia’s Rostov region, crucial for supplying Russian occupation forces. Another Ukrainian attack targeted an oil depot in Russia’s Kirov region, marking the first known strike on this area.
As Ukraine works to repair its energy infrastructure following one of the largest Russian bombing campaigns, concerns about the approaching winter are growing. Nataliia Shapoval, head of the Kyiv School of Economics Institute, warned that the upcoming winter would be especially challenging.
In Russia, a court ruled to detain two Colombians accused of acting as mercenaries after reportedly fighting in Ukraine. The men, named as Jose Aron Medina and Alexander Ante, were remanded until 22 October.
Russia’s foreign ministry announced on Wednesday that it was banning entry to 92 U.S. citizens, including journalists and military-industrial leaders, in response to what it called Washington’s Russophobic stance. The Wall Street Journal dismissed the bans as “laughable,” viewing them as part of broader attacks on the free press.
Ukraine’s First Lady emphasized the need for the country’s children to see themselves not as victims of war but as “a generation of winners.” Visiting a respite camp in Uzhhorod, she stressed the importance of ending the war to secure a future for the nation’s youth, who continue to face trauma daily.
