Day 1682 Russians want to destroy a bridge in Kiev. Ukraine used a new missile, but does not reveal the target hit. Russia risks triggering Article 5

On day 1682 of the war, Russian forces once again attacked Kiev. One of the targets of the nighttime attack was the bridge that they also hit on Thursday. Additionally, a 25-story building in the Ukrainian capital was hit by a drone, resulting in one casualty.

Over 100 drones were launched by the Russians during the night, with almost half of them being jet-propelled models, faster and harder to intercept.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones targeted the Russian regions of Volgograd and Samara during the night. According to initial reports, a Lukoil refinery and an important oil distribution station were hit, targets that have been attacked earlier this year.

Ukraine used the FP-7 tactical ballistic missile in combat for the first time, but President Volodymyr Zelensky did not disclose the target.

On the diplomatic front, EU Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius warns that a Russian attack on a NATO country's arms factory could trigger Article 5.

And Vladimir Putin signals once again that he is willing to engage in negotiations as soon as possible, but emphasizes that these talks must only take place under conditions acceptable to Russia.

Russia's Attacks

• Kiev Bridge Hit Again by Russians - Russian forces once again attacked the South Bridge in Kiev during the night, stated Mayor Vitali Klitschko, after this strategic crossing point had been targeted by multiple Russian drone attacks the day before. The bridge hit and another nearby one were closed to traffic in both directions following the attack. Due to these restrictions, several bus lines were redirected to two other bridges, as reported by Kiev Independent.

• 25-Story Building Hit Directly - The nighttime aerial attack on Kiev resulted in one casualty after a drone damaged a 25-story residential building in the Darnytskyi district. A fire broke out on the 24th and 25th floors, and two other people were injured, announced local authorities in the morning.

• Night's Toll - Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 108 drones, including 47 Shahed drones with jet propulsion (faster and harder to intercept), starting Thursday evening. Air defense forces shot down 88 drones, but hits were recorded in 11 locations. The attack was ongoing in the morning, stated the Ukrainian Air Force.

• Undetected Radar Drone Falls in Tulcea - An object, possibly an aerial drone, fell in the Plauru area, Tulcea County, in the morning and caused a fire. An emergency response vehicle from the Emergency Situations Inspectorate and teams from the Ministry of National Defense were sent to the scene to extinguish the fire. Details HERE.

Ukraine's Strikes

• Attacks in Volgograd and Samara - Ukrainian forces struck the oil infrastructure in the Russian regions of Volgograd and Samara during the night. Ukrainian activist Serhii Sternenko and monitoring channel Exilenova Plus identified the Lukoil refinery in Volgograd and the oil distribution station in Samara as likely targets, as reported by Kiev Independent. Both targets have been hit by Ukrainian forces earlier this year. Russian channel Astra, cited by Ukrainska Pravda, mentioned the chemical plant Kaustik near the refinery in Volgograd as a possible target of the attack. Governor Andrei Bocharov stated that the region's industrial infrastructure was hit by a massive drone attack, mentioning only a fire in a building and one injured person.

Other Relevant Information

• Ukraine Deploys New Ballistic Missile - Ukraine used the FP-7 tactical ballistic missile in combat for the first time. "Ukrainian tactical ballistic missile FP-7. First combat use. Thank you for the result. Next step - production," wrote Volodymyr Zelensky on Telegram on Thursday. He did not specify where the FP-7 was used or against which target. When asked about the specific target hit by the missile, Zelensky's communication advisor told Kiev Independent: "We're not saying." Ukrainian military analysts describe the FP-7 as a short-range missile, with a range of about 200 km. The missile's manufacturer, Fire Point, states that it is developed as a ballistic interceptor under the European anti-missile defense program Freyja, launched this year. "This will be an equivalent of the ATACMS system, probably with an even larger warhead. However, it will cost at least half as much," stated Denis Shtilerman, co-founder of Fire Point, in March.

• Russia Risks Triggering Article 5 - EU Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius stated that a Russian attack on a NATO country's arms factory could trigger Article 5. "I would say that if Russia were to strike our factories on European soil, this would activate Article 5," said Kubilius in a statement to TVP World, on the sidelines of a meeting of the European Parliament's Security and Defense Committee in Brussels. The statement came a day after the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned that European factories producing weapons for Ukraine are potential military targets for Russia.

• Putin Ready for Negotiations, but on His Terms - The Russian leader stated that he is willing to resume peace negotiations as soon as possible, but under conditions acceptable to Russia, as reported by TASS. He claimed to have been ready to resume negotiations as early as September and accused Kiev of compromising any potential dialogue. "We received a request to resume the negotiation process. We responded: 'Alright. But only after the State Duma elections. The elections are on the 20th, and we are ready to start the negotiation process as early as the 21st (of September).' So, what did they do? It seems that they did not hold their own elections, but tried to disrupt ours," Putin stated at the annual Valdai Discussion Club forum.

• Putin Warns of Nuclear Risk - The Kremlin leader warned that Moscow is prepared to use its entire arsenal, including nuclear weapons, if the Russian exclave Kaliningrad, situated between Poland and Lithuania, were to be attacked. Putin stated that Russia has no intention of attacking any European country, but will respond to any Western aggression. Details HERE.

• Germany Tests Scenario of War with Russia - The "Red Storm Charlie" exercise paralyzes certain areas of the port city of Hamburg in northern Germany for three days. The military, police, and civilian organizations are testing together how well they are prepared for a real crisis situation. Details HERE.

• South Korea Threatens Kiev - South Korean President Lee Jae-myung warned today that Seoul will take further action if Ukraine refuses to publicly apologize for violating a confidentiality agreement regarding the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war. "If you continue to refuse to acknowledge the facts and offer public apologies, we will take further measures. As it concerns the honor of the people and nation of the Republic of Korea, we cannot overlook this matter," the Seoul leader conveyed. Relations between the two states deteriorated rapidly in recent days after the unilateral announcement made by the Kiev leader, as reported by AFP. The South Korean presidency requested an apology as early as Sunday, and on Monday summoned the Ukrainian diplomatic representative in Seoul to express "profound concern" over the breach of the bilateral agreement.