Ukraine-Russia war latest: Nato mission scrambles jets as four killed in missile and drone strikes on Kyiv

Vladimir Putin has discussed the war in Ukraine with Xi Jinping during a meeting in Kyrgyzstan on Monday.

The Kremlin issued a statement on Monday to say the Russian and Chinese leader touched upon the conflict in Ukraine, but added that it was not the main theme of their meeting.

The leaders met in Bishkek alongside their Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian, for the annual two day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.

Nato is reacting swiftly and exactly as planned and the alliance is “vigilant and ready” to protect its territory, Estonian foreign minister Margus Tsahkna said on X, after Nato scrambled fighter jets following alerts.

The Nato ‌Baltic air policing mission briefly ⁠activated jet fighters in Latvia, and Finland has restricted air and maritime traffic close ‌to Russia, ​armed forces ‌of ⁠both countries said separately ⁠on X.

US treasury secretary Scott Bessent has made clear to Russian finance minister Anton ⁠Siluanov that there will be no economic relief for Russia or agreements on other issues until its war in Ukraine ends, a source ⁠familiar with the ​ministers’ ⁠bilateral meeting told Reuters.

Bessent met bilaterally with Siluanov on the sidelines of a G20 finance leaders meeting in Asheville, North Carolina.

The ​Russian ⁠finance minister’s first in-person ‌G20 appearance since Russia invaded Ukraine has irritated European officials who are working on more ‌sanctions against Russia.

Earlier, a US official told Reuters the focus of the Bessent-Siluanov meeting was president Donald Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine.

Russia’s finance ministry said the two officials discussed financial cooperation within the G20 framework.

When Siluanov tried to discuss areas of mutual interest, the source said Bessent interrupted him and said “nothing is possible until the war is over.”

The US imposed sanctions on Russia’s oil majors in October 2025, but after the US-Israeli war against Iran cut off energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, Bessent issued licences allowing the sale of seaborne Russian oil stored in tankers to ease supplies, sending some funds to Moscow.

Russia’s air force has shot down over a dozen drones heading towards Moscow, mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram.

Sobyanin’s preliminary update did not mention how many total drones have been fired in the Russian capital’s direction.

In Russia’s Samara region, home to a number of major oil refineries some 800km (500 miles) southeast of Moscow, an air attack damaged civilian facilities, the local governor said on Telegram.

The Nato Baltic ‌air policing mission has activated jet fighters ⁠in Latvia, and Finland has restricted air and maritime traffic close to ⁠Russia, armed forces of both countries said separately on X.

Massive strikes from Russia have already killed four in Ukraine in the early hours today and left over a dozen injured.

The aerial activity came as Russia’s northwestern Leningrad region, home to ‌major export ports, was ​shooting at drones.

At least four people were killed and over a dozen injured in Russian air attacks on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and the surrounding region in the early hours this morning, local authorities said, in what was the sixth day in a row of strikes on the area.

Explosions were heard in Kyiv, a Reuters witness ⁠said.

At least three people were killed and another ​five ⁠wounded, and a fire broke out in a non-residential area of the capital, city authorities said this morning.

In Boryspil in the Kyiv region, one person was killed and another nine, including a child, were injured after missiles and drones damaged an apartment building and a business facility, governor Tymur Tkachenko said on Telegram.

The attack marks the sixth day of attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region, disrupting the ‌daily lives of millions of people.

Air raid alerts ‌covered most of Ukraine’s territory in the early hours of Tuesday.

Russia has targeted Ukrainian printing presses and publishing houses in recent attacks, destroying more than 12 million books ahead of the first week back at school.

Around 1.5 million books were destroyed in attacks in July and 10 million in August, according to Pravda.

Recently, Russia also targeted a second-hand book market in Kyiv, destroying hundreds of stalls.

Viktoria Haida, the commercial director of the bombed Konvi publishing firm in Kyiv told BBC: “I believe it is deliberate on the part of the Russian Federation.

“Over the past two months, some of the largest publishing houses have lost their logistics warehouses, where very large quantities of books were stored.”