Ukraine war latest: Russian strike kills at least 12 in Kyiv and suburbs, including 6 rail workers

Key developments on Sept. 1:

• 12 killed in Kyiv and suburbs, including 6 rail workers, as Russian barrage enters 6th day
• Estonia, Romania report drone incursions amid Russian and Ukrainian aerial attacks
• Ukraine's PM announces major audit of Defense Ministry needs
• Ukraine confirms drone strike on Russia’s Ust-Luga port

At least 12 people were killed and 21 others injured in Kyiv and the surrounding oblast overnight on Sept. 1, as Russia launched a ballistic missile attack amid a days-long drone barrage against the capital.

Officials reported that at least eight people were killed and eight others injured in the capital, while four were killed and 13 injured in Kyiv Oblast.

Six of those killed were Ukrainian Railways employees who died when a ballistic missile hit a "depot and other railway facilities," Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, Chairman of the Board of Ukrainian Railways, said in a post on social media.

In the city of Brovary, east of Kyiv, at least four people were killed and 13 injured in the overnight attack. Eight of those injured were in a five-story residential building that was badly damaged.

Kyiv and Odesa oblasts were the primary targets, according to Ukraine's Air Force. Russia launched ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as 218 drones, around a third of which were jet-powered.

Ukraine's air defenses intercepted or suppressed 199 drones or missiles, including five ballistic missiles, five Kalibr cruise missiles, two S8000 Banderol missiles, and 187 drones. Strikes were recorded at 28 locations across the country, while debris from intercepted targets fell at 10 others.

Kyiv has recorded a record number of air raid alerts over the past week as Russia shifts its strategy to launching jet-powered drones in near-hourly attacks rather than its usual massive overnight barrages of ballistic and cruise missiles preceded by waves of drones.

On Aug. 28, the capital recorded 13 alerts, the highest number since Russia launched its full-scale invasion against Ukraine.

Estonia, Romania report drone incursions amid Russian and Ukrainian aerial attacks

Estonia and Romania, both members of the European Union and NATO, reported separate drone incursions on Sept. 1 as Russia launched a large-scale aerial attack on Ukraine and Ukrainian drones targeted western Russia.

One drone crossed into southeastern Estonia, while another flew toward the border city of Narva but changed course before entering the country’s airspace, Estonian Air Force Commander Brigadier General Riivo Valge told public broadcaster ERR.

Valge said around a dozen drones were detected near Estonia’s border at about 2 a.m. amid a large-scale Ukrainian attack on targets in western Russia.

When one of the drones began flying toward Narva, Estonia activated ground-based air defense units and issued public warnings. Turkish fighter jets stationed at Amari Air Base as part of NATO’s rotational air policing mission were also scrambled.

The drone eventually turned back toward Russia without crossing the border. Roughly 30 minutes later, however, another drone entered southeastern Estonia, prompting additional warnings.

At the time, drones were targeting Russia's Leningrad Oblast, which borders Estonia. The attack damaged the Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga, according to local authorities. Russian air defenses reportedly intercepted 38 drones across the region, including 17 near the port.

Neither drone crashed in Estonia, and the fighter jets did not open fire. The alert was lifted at around 5:30 a.m., with no casualties or damage reported.

Hours later, a local resident discovered a damaged drone in a field outside the village of Viisoara in Romania, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the Moldovan border, according to Digi24.

Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) specialists determined that the drone contained explosives and carried out a controlled detonation, Digi24 later reported, citing sources.

No casualties or property damage were reported. It remains unclear where the drone originated and how it reached the field.

Ukraine's PM announces major audit of Defense Ministry needs

Ukraine will conduct a large-scale audit of its Defense Ministry's needs and divert savings made in other government departments through austerity measures, Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said on Sept. 1.

"The government is also implementing strict austerity measures on budget funds not earmarked for defense needs," he said in a speech in the Ukrainian parliament.

"As a result, we have already identified Hr 70 billion ($1.75 billion) in savings, all of which will be directed toward defense needs."

Koretskyi said the move was necessary as the defense against Russia's full-scale invasion is becoming significantly more expensive.

Despite an EU loan of 90 billion euros ($105 billion), Kyiv is estimated to be 45 billion euros ($53 billion) short of what it needs by the end of 2027.

Ukraine confirms drone strike on Russia’s Ust-Luga port

Ukrainian drones struck the Novatek-Ust-Luga complex at Russia’s Baltic Sea port in Leningrad Oblast early on Sept. 1, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) confirmed.

The strike damaged key components of an oil-processing unit and other technological equipment, causing a large fire at the facility, according to HUR.

The operation was carried out jointly by HUR’s Active Operations Department, its Unmanned Systems Department, and other Ukrainian defense forces, the agency said.

Ust-Luga is one of Russia's largest and most important ports on the Baltic Sea and home to an oil terminal that serves as a major hub for the export of crude oil and petroleum products. Located west of St. Petersburg, far from Ukraine's border, the port plays an important role in generating revenue for the state budget.

Separately, Samara Oblast was targeted by Ukrainian drones, according to local officials.