Russian shelling kills 16 civilians and injures 57 across Ukraine on 1 September
On 1 September 2026, Russian military shelling killed 16 civilians in Kyiv and the Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Sumy Regions (Oblasts), and injured at least 57 more, in particular in the Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Odesa Oblasts, the National Police reported.
A multi-storey building destroyed by Russian shelling in the Donetsk OblastThe victims of the Russian strikes on 1 September were:
- eight civilians in Kyiv;
- four people in the Kyiv Oblast;
- two people in Kushuhum in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, whose car was hit by a Russian drone;
- a female cyclist in Druzhkivka in the Donetsk Oblast, who was targeted by a Russian drone;
- a motorist in the Sumy Oblast, whose car was struck by a Russian drone.
Read more: Russian drone attacks on civilians amount to crimes against humanity – UN Commission
In the Kyiv Oblast, which was under Russian attack throughout the day, a total of 18 civilians were injured, and another five people were injured in Kyiv.
In the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, 11 civilians were injured as a result of Russian strikes on 1 September, including three rescuers who were hit while driving to a fire.
Aftermath of Russian strike in the Zaporizhzhia OblastIn the Donetsk Oblast, Russian shelling injured 10 civilians on 1 September, in particular in Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, and Druzhkivka. In the Odesa Oblast, which the Russians targeted, including at night, seven civilians were injured as a result.
Eight civilians were injured due to Russian strikes on the Sumy Oblast, and four people were injured in each of the Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv Oblasts.
On 31 August 2026, Russian military shelling killed six civilians in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) stated in its monthly report that at least 437 civilians were killed and 2,610 injured in Ukraine in July 2026, a 30 per cent increase compared to June 2026 (298 killed; 2,041 injured). It is the highest monthly death toll since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, UN human rights experts have said.
Ukrainian experts point out that countries, including China, Greece, North Korea, Hungary, Slovakia, Iran, and Brazil, assist Moscow in killing Ukrainians in its war against Ukraine by funding the Russian budget through trade.
Human rights organisations and Ukrainian authorities emphasise that structural economic pressure remains a key tool to halt such atrocities. They urge every nation and individual government worldwide to strictly enforce global sanctions, close existing regulatory loopholes, and completely sever remaining commercial and technological ties with the Russian Federation. Civil society groups stress that any continued cooperation by foreign businesses directly contributes to the resources Moscow uses to sustain its ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine.
Chinese President Xi Jinping stated on 1 September in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, that China stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with all parties, “continue tackling both the symptoms and root causes of these issues, and promote political settlement”.
Although Xi Jinping continues to promote the idea of negotiations, Ukraine’s Western partners and analysts are increasingly questioning China’s status as an impartial peacemaker, citing its deepening economic and political ties with Moscow during the full-scale invasion.
The Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU) earlier reported that the European Union has imposed sanctions on the Chinese firm Xinxiang Richful Lubricant Additive Co., one of the largest suppliers of fuel additives to the Russian military-industrial complex.
According to the ESCU study, these Chinese activities improve the performance properties of aviation fuel and reduce engine wear in the Su-34 and Su-35S military aircraft. Russia independently produces only antioxidant additives, while it imports antistatic and anti-wear additives from India and China.
Xinxiang Richful Lubricant Additive Co. is the largest supplier of mineral-based additives to Russia. According to the ESCU, in 2023 alone, the Kremlin purchased goods from Xinxiang Richful worth more than $150 million – 33% of the company’s total annual sales.
Over the last four years, China has become a critically important partner for the Russian Federation. While Beijing officially declares its neutrality, Western intelligence and analytical studies indicate otherwise. For instance, China does not supply weapons directly to Russia, but it provides critically important components, including machinery, microelectronics, specialized chemicals, optics, gunpowder, and ammunition components.
You may also want to read: Chinese media expand their presence in Ukraine’s occupied territories and promote Kremlin narratives
Meanwhile, the Center for Strategic and International Studies found that in 2024 China increased sales of ammonium perchlorate — a key ingredient used to produce solid propellant for Iskander missiles. This assistance enabled Russia to triple its ballistic missile production, the report stated. Beijing’s support has bolstered Russia’s defense industrial base, enabling Russian forces to launch salvos of 13 to 18 Iskander-M ballistic missiles in 2026.
Overall imports from China have grown to represent one-third of Russia’s total imports, while Russian oil exports now account for 75% of all oil purchased by Beijing. Analysts specifically highlighted defense-related imports, which provided the Russian military-industrial complex with machine tools, components, and raw materials for weapons manufacturing.
Furthermore, Russia’s defense industry also received computer chips, machine tools, radars, and sensors from China, according to CSIS. These goods are part of a list of 50 items aiding weapons production, effectively compensating for Russia’s limited manufacturing capacity in its defense sector. Other areas of support include the supply of drone hulls, lithium batteries, and fiber-optic cables. CSIS reported that Russian imports from China rose from $190 billion in 2022 to $250 billion in 2024.
In 2024, then-U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that 70% of heavy industrial equipment and 90% of all microelectronics are sourced from China, which then flows into Russia.
Furthermore, according to recent NATO intelligence data, 80% of all Russian drones consist of Chinese parts.
According to The Telegraph newspaper, Chinese firms supplied sanctioned Russian companies with at least £47 million ($57.4 million USD) worth of parts between 2023 and 2024. Almost a quarter of the value of these supplies went to firms that produce Shahed-type drones.
Moreover, the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine stated that China is also providing intelligence to Russia. The Kremlin used this data to prepare missile strikes, particularly against objects belonging to foreign investors, though the specific targets were not clarified. China denies these accusations.
Following the imposition of Western sanctions, Beijing has become a key supplier to Russia of cars, clothing, raw materials, and a range of other goods. In 2023, Russia-China trade turnover set a historic record, exceeding $240 billion, which is more than 60% higher than before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to Chinese customs data.
Reuters also reported that China is buying oil and gas from Russia. The average daily volume of oil is more than two million barrels per day. During Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing, the countries signed a document for the supply of 106 billion cubic meters of gas per year to China.
Reuters also reported that tens of thousands of cars are being exported from China to Russia under gray-market schemes that often circumvent Western and Asian government sanctions and automakers’ commitments to exit the Russian market, according to registration data reviewed by Reuters and interviews with five people involved in the trade.
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