Kyiv Under Fire: Russia’s sixth straight day of heavy strikes killed at least 12 people in Kyiv and the surrounding region, with railway workers among the dead and more injuries reported as drones and ballistic missiles hit residential and infrastructure targets. Air Defense Pressure: EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged countries with expiring interceptor missiles to transfer them to Ukraine, while EU ministers push to unblock European Peace Facility funds for air defense. Drone Tactics Shift: Kyiv has faced near-constant drone waves since late August, with analysts warning Russia can likely sustain the pace for now even as interception rates stay high. Defense Leadership: Ukraine’s new defense minister, Yevhen Khmara, outlined his wartime approach focused on closing the defense funding gap and applying special-operations experience to procurement and strategy. Education Hit Hard: Russia has damaged 4,650 education facilities since the full-scale war began, with 423 destroyed; as the school year starts, Kyiv schools are adapting to constant alerts. Sanctions & Tech: Ukraine says foreign-made components still show up in Russian ballistic missiles, highlighting enforcement gaps despite sanctions. Energy Fallout: Reuters reports Russia’s oil output forecast for 2026 has been cut to a 17-year low, tied to sanctions and intensified Ukrainian strikes on refineries. Diplomacy Signals: The US is increasing contact with Moscow figures even as peace talks stall, with a US Treasury chief telling Russia economic relief won’t come until the war ends.