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Friday, September 4 Russia's war against Ukraine Local residents look at a residential building damaged in a Russian airstrike in Kyiv on Sept. 03, 2026. (Danylo Antoniuk/Anadolu via Getty Images) Moscow airports cancel flights after Zelensky's 'closed skies' warning. "Temporary restrictions on the arrival and departure of aircraft have been introduced," Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) said. Ukraine strikes Russian vessel in Sochi, oil depot attack reported. Ukraine’s military launched several waves of attacks against the Russian city of Sochi on Sept. 3-4, including a naval drone strike on a Russian vessel. Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Russian defense plant over 1,300 km from Ukraine. Ukrainian drones reportedly struck military-industrial facility in Sterlitamak in Russia’s Bashkortostan Republic more than 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from Ukraine, according to local reports and footage circulating on social media on Sept. 4. Russian commander shot just days after being linked to strike on Kyiv children's hospital. The Russian commander is reportedly Maj. Gen. Nikolay Varpakhovich. Ukraine expects Witkoff, Kushner to visit Kyiv in coming days, Zelensky says. U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner also plan another trip to Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Germany begins production of 5,000 long-range drones for Kyiv, media reports. The joint venture was established between the German-American defense company Auterion and the Ukrainian drone producer Airlogix in February 2026 at the Munich Security Conference. Germany announces $290 million aid package to repair Ukrainian energy infrastructure before winter. The announcement comes as Ukraine prepares for the upcoming winter, following the harrowing winter months of 2025-2026, when Russia hammered the country's power grid with constant attacks. Fallout from 'disgraceful' HUR, SBU shootout deepens with more FSB accusations, denials. Competing accounts emerged the day after a shooting incident involving two of Ukraine's security agencies. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sept. 3 that "the deputy heads (of HUR and the SBU) who are responsible for this situation will be dismissed." Human cost of war 'A clear Russian signal to America' — Russia hits Coca-Cola plant, injures 13 in 8th straight day of attacks on Kyiv. Six of the 13 injured victims, including a 12-year-old child, have been hospitalized, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said late in the evening of Russia's eighth consecutive drone strike on the capital. Russian attacks kill 5, injure 67 across Ukraine as drones target western regions President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian attacks caused damage in 13 oblasts overnight, while air raid alerts remained active for extended periods in many cities and communities due to the threat of jet-powered drones. Read our exclusives Ukraine war latest: Fallout from 'disgraceful' HUR, SBU shootout deepens with more FSB accusations, denials Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC) deputy commander Stepan Kaplunov has denied allegations of contacts with Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) and involvement in planned assassinations, saying in a post on social media on Sept. 3 that he admitted to the allegations only after being held for nine days under psychological pressure and threats. Photo: Security Service of Ukraine Read more Kyiv warns of new Russian northern offensive — could it happen? Four-and-a-half years after Russian troops poured across the Belarusian border in a failed attempt to seize Kyiv, Ukrainian officials are warning it could happen again. Photo: Olesya Kurpyayeva / AFP via Getty Images Read more Ukrainians know another hard winter is coming. Their government isn’t ready As the summer comes to an end, Ukrainian authorities are still a long way off preparing for an inevitable energy crisis. Photo: Diego Fedele / Getty Images Read more Ukraine risks billions in international funding amid stalled legislation, growing budget shortfall Ukraine risks losing billions of dollars in international funding after the parliament's latest attempt to advance legislation required under its commitments to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) failed. Photo: Ruslan Stefanchuk/Facebook Read more You've made it this far, which means you care. Millions read the Kyiv Independent, but only one in 1,000 supports us financially. One membership might not seem like much, but to us, it makes a real difference. BECOME A MEMBER EXPLORE FIRST Who has the upper hand in Ukraine’s evolving drone war? International response Russia to shut Goethe-Institut branches in response to Germany closing Russian House. "They consciously took this step — they could not have failed to understand — which means the end of their cultural presence in Russia," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. War against Ukraine can't be resolved by halting Russian oil purchases, Indian FM says. "This conflict, which is today in its fifth year, will not dissolve because somebody is buying or not buying oil or alumina or minerals or metals," Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said. Russia preparing sabotage against Ukraine-linked Danish defense companies, Denmark warns. The warning comes amid growing concerns over Moscow's hybrid operations as Germany accused Russia of attempting a drone attack at Leipzig Airport in August. US House may fast-track vote on Russia sanctions bill, Ukrainian official says. "(E)veryone agreed that it was necessary to increase pressure on Russia. ... No one said that he definitely would not support this bill. Not a single such opinion," Sanctions Commissioner Vladyslav Vlasiuk told reporters. 'We will be asking for that money' — Trump says Europe should repay US for Ukraine aid. The demand comes amid Trump's growing fury with European and NATO countries for their refusal to join the U.S. war against Iran, which has dragged on for six months. US Army shuts down specialized drone warfare unit as lawmakers raise concerns over loss of battlefield expertise. The U.S. Army is backing away from a specialized experimental drone warfare unit less than a year after it was created, as U.S. lawmakers raise concern over the loss of battlefield expertise stemming from Ukraine’s drone innovation. Opinions and insights How many more missiles does Russia have — and can it keep firing them? From the start of 2026 through the morning of Aug. 27, Russian forces fired at least 1,858 missiles of various types at Ukraine. That figure alone, however, fails to show the whole picture. Photo: Kostiantyn Liberov / Libkos / Getty Images Read more Meet the Kyiv Independent in London Join editor-in-chief Olga Rudenko, CEO Daryna Shevchenko, Francis Farrell, and other team members for an evening of live storytelling in London at Kings Place on Oct. 2. Get tickets This newsletter is open for sponsorship. Boost your brand's visibility by reaching thousands of engaged subscribers. Click here for more details. Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Tania Myronyshyna, Jonas Heins, Chris York, Dominic Culverwell, Kateryna Denisova, Dmytro Basmat, Asami Terajima, Anna Fratsyvir, Abbey Fenbert, Lachlan Hyatt, and Tamara Nowakowsky. If you’re enjoying this newsletter, consider joining our membership program. Start supporting independent journalism today. If you have a story tip and want to get in touch with our reporters, please reply to this email.