Merz pledges Ukraine aid Petersohn explains the need

Oct 4

Romy Hiller and Susanne Petersohn report Friedrich Merz's surprise Kyiv visit and Russian attacks during it, including a drone hit on a major bridge. Merz calls on Putin to stop the war, offers talks and condemns attacks on civilians as war crimes. Zelenskyy thanks him for coming despite the conditions and describes a German package worth more than €1.3 billion, including production of interceptors against jet-powered Shaheds. Petersohn says part of the support is for energy systems before winter. Merz also cites the August 4 Leipzig airport incident as a Russian attack; that attribution remains his claim. In the complete live exchange, Petersohn explains the importance of air defence, energy support and dependable German backing, describes depleted social-system funds and a reported roughly 20-billion financing gap for 2026 military spending without specifying a currency, and says financing for the following year remains unclear. The report establishes announced support, not completed delivery or the closure of the financing gap.

DD India reports a fresh Russian strike damaging Kyiv's Northern Bridge on Sunday October 4 shortly after Merz's arrival, with emergency response and recent Dnipro-crossing attacks as context. Tagesschau reports a Russian drone hitting a major bridge during the visit, repeated alerts and Merz's complete condemnation and call for talks. Tagesschau does not itself name the bridge or give a casualty count. The Academy of Sciences location does not establish a new October 4 attack on that building. This day's strike is distinct from the inspected October 3 Northern Bridge attack. CCTV's October 5 brief says an explosion occurred during the October 4 visit and attributes to Russia's Defence Ministry the claim that Russian drones hit Kyiv's North Bridge. It also attributes a threat to intensify strikes on military targets in Kyiv and elsewhere to retaliation for Zelenskyy's refinery-strike statement. The target description and rationale are Russian claims, retained alongside the earlier Ukrainian-site reporting and Merz's condemnation; they do not independently establish the ministry's stated motive.