Five killed as Kyiv and Moscow trade strikes, Russia hits second bridge

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkLocal people react near a body at the site of a Russian strike on a residential area in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine, on October 2, 2026 [Sergey Kozlov/EPA]By Al Jazeera Staff, AFP and ReutersPublished On 3 Oct 20263 Oct 2026At least five people have been killed in a series of long-range strikes carried out by Kyiv and Moscow.Russia attacked a Liberian-flagged ship in Ukraine’s Odesa region, killing one person and injuring three, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority said on Saturday in a statement on Telegram. Another 12 crew members were safely evacuated from the ship. Three were injured.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Ukraine calls for tighter sanctions as Russian attacks spark Kyiv gridlocklist 2 of 3Polls open in Latvia against backdrop of perceived Russia threatlist 3 of 3G7 nations to release oil and diesel stocks, will it bring down the prices?end of listRussia has in effect blockaded Ukraine’s Black Sea ports – formerly a key global source of food exports – by attacking civilian vessels carrying grain and steel, dealing a heavy blow to the Ukrainian economy.Two people were reportedly killed in a Ukrainian strike on the Russia-occupied Luhansk region of Ukraine, according to the Moscow-installed governor.In the occupied Zaporizhia region, Russian-installed authorities said one person was killed and 10 others injured in a Ukrainian drone attack.Firefighters extinguish a fire at a house following air strikes in Kharkiv on October 2, 2026 [AFP]Russian media also reported that one person was killed in a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Belgorod region, which sits just across the border from Ukraine.Elsewhere, a Russian attack on Kyiv’s Northern Bridge injured two people. It is the second bridge Russia has attacked in the Ukrainian capital in the space of two days.Russia warns diplomats, foreignersAlso on Saturday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry issued another warning to diplomats and foreigners in Ukraine’s capital, urging them to leave the city or risk being harmed.Many foreign embassies are still operating in Kyiv.Russia’s all-out war on Ukraine is in its fifth year and shows little sign of slowing down.Russian battlefield gains have slowed to a near-record low, with Ukrainian counterattacks, including one ongoing push around the town of Lyman in the east, mitigating Russian territorial gains elsewhere.Russia has increased its attacks on civilian infrastructure in recent months, including with the growing use of jet-powered long-range strike drones, which move faster and are harder to shoot down.Ukraine has also engaged in significant long-range strikes, including targeting Russian oil infrastructure and military-industrial facilities deep inside Russian territory.