The past week in Ukraine was marked by a sharp escalation in Russian air attacks, strikes on Kyiv and critical infrastructure, as well as new US efforts to revive talks on ending the war. One of the deadliest incidents was the aftermath of a strike on the village of Myla in the Kyiv region, where the death toll reached 38. In early September, large-scale attacks continued: on September 1, people were killed in Kyiv and the Kyiv region, while on September 4 a Russian drone struck the SBU building in central Kyiv. At the same time, Kyiv sought to accelerate European funding, while representatives of Donald Trump’s administration traveled to Moscow and were then expected to visit Kyiv.
Related: Weekly Digest of Events in Ukraine (August 23–29, 2026): briefly about the main developments
38 killed after strike on the village of Myla
At the end of August, a Russian strike followed by the detonation of ammunition in the village of Myla in the Bucha district of the Kyiv region resulted in one of the deadliest tragedies of the year. By August 30, Ukrainian authorities reported 38 people killed and 20 injured, including children; four people were listed as missing.
According to the Associated Press, the strike hit an ammunition storage facility, after which explosions and a fire spread to the surrounding area. Hundreds of people were evacuated and residential buildings were damaged. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the circumstances surrounding the storage of ammunition near civilian facilities needed to be investigated. Russia said the target had been a military facility.
Russia continued its attacks on Kyiv
At the beginning of September, Kyiv faced almost continuous air strikes. Reuters reported that attacks on the capital had continued for a fifth consecutive day by August 31, with Russia launching about 1,500 drones over four days, more than half of them jet-powered. Air-raid alerts disrupted transport and daily life in the city.
On September 1, the Russian attack became one of the largest of the week. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, various types of missiles and 218 drones were used, with 199 targets destroyed or suppressed. Eight people were killed in Kyiv and several others were injured; there were also casualties in the Kyiv region.
Strikes hit railway and energy infrastructure
One of the targets of the September 1 attack was railway infrastructure in Kyiv. According to Ukrzaliznytsia, employees of the company were killed and railway facilities were damaged. Overall, Ukrainian authorities reported eight people killed in the capital, six of them railway workers.
On September 2, Russian strikes continued. People were injured in Kyiv, a residential building was damaged, as well as medical and educational facilities. Reuters also reported strikes on energy facilities in Odesa, which temporarily left about 350,000 households without electricity. Ukrainian authorities warned of the risk of further attacks on the energy sector ahead of the winter period.
Drone struck SBU building in central Kyiv
On September 4, a Russian drone struck the building of the Security Service of Ukraine on Volodymyrska Street in central Kyiv, near St. Sophia’s Cathedral. Initial Reuters reports said five people were injured; Ukrainian sources later reported 12 injured.
The strike took place amid continuing attacks on the capital and shortly before the visit of US representatives. Zelensky called for retaliatory measures, while Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged international partners to respond to the attack. The site of the strike is located near a UNESCO World Heritage site, which also drew international attention.
US resumed diplomatic efforts
On September 4–5, US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to Moscow for talks on ending the war. President Donald Trump said there was a specific proposal, but did not disclose its details publicly. After Moscow, the US representatives were expected to travel to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian officials.
Amid the visit, Zelensky called for a temporary halt to air strikes to create conditions for negotiations. Russian attacks nevertheless continued. The negotiation process remains linked to the most difficult issues, including Moscow’s territorial demands and the question of Ukraine’s future NATO membership.
Kyiv requested accelerated European funding
Ukraine’s new Defense Ministry leadership said it needed to close a military budget shortfall that Reuters estimated at about $27 billion. Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara proposed accelerating the release of part of a €45 billion European loan originally scheduled for a later period. The overall amount of support envisaged by the EU through this mechanism is €90 billion for 2026–2027.
On September 1, the defense minister also appealed to European counterparts to accelerate funding. According to Irish Defense Minister Helen McEntee, a significant number of EU countries supported the idea of bringing the funding forward, although no formal decision had been made at that point. Accelerating the payments would require agreement among EU member states and the European Commission.
Conclusion: The week ended with a simultaneous intensification of military activity and diplomatic efforts. Russia continued large-scale air strikes, while Kyiv and the United States focused on strengthening air defenses, military financing and attempts to revive the negotiation process.
