Russian strikes on Kyiv injure 20 as Poland scrambles jets
Russian strikes on Kyiv injured at least 20 people, including two children, and Poland scrambled jets, while 50 countries and the EU backed a ceasefire call but the US did not.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Russian strikes hit Kyiv as Poland scrambles jets
Russian missile and drone attacks struck Kyiv during the morning rush hour, injuring at least 20 people, including two children. The attacks damaged an education facility, warehouses and residential homes. Smoke hung over the city centre after drones sent residents fleeing. The bombardment came as the UN Security Council prepared to meet in New York.
Poland scrambled fighter jets and closed two airports for a time in response to Russian drone attacks on western Ukraine. Explosions were heard just a few kilometres from the Polish border.
At the United Nations, 50 countries and the European Union signed a statement supporting Ukraine's call for Russia to join an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. The United States was not among them. President Volodymyr Zelensky, addressing delegates, urged allies to put more pressure on Moscow to come to the table. European foreign ministers stood with Ukraine's foreign minister, Andriy Sybiha, ahead of the Security Council meeting. Sybiha said Russia is attacking Ukraine daily, hitting the energy grid and civilian objects and causing many casualties. He said Ukraine needs to close its sky. He welcomed Donald Trump's efforts to end the war, but the fresh strikes cast doubt on talk of an imminent deal.
Donald Trump insisted he is the president of peace and said a deal was imminent. He also suggested Keir Starmer had been too tough on Vladimir Putin. Critics pointed to the attacks as evidence that claims of control over Putin were premature. Andy Burnham accused Putin of war crimes and Russian disinformation. French President Emmanuel Macron used his final UN General Assembly speech to call for international order over what he described as the law of the jungle. Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, attended the meeting.
David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Committee and a former UK foreign secretary, said the world was in an age of impunity. He said there are 65 wars, more than at any time since World War II, and 300 million people in humanitarian need even before the Iran war started. He warned that might is replacing right and that the cost of such a world is very high.
The attacks and the diplomacy showed a gap between peace talks and the reality on the ground in Ukraine.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included to show what was on screen during that part of the broadcast. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 4 |
|---|---|
| Donald Trump said a peace deal to end the Ukraine war was close. | |
| Poland scrambled fighter jets and closed two airports due to Russian drone attacks on western Ukraine. | |
| Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv injured at least 20 people, including two children, and damaged an education facility, warehouses and residential homes. | |
| The United States did not join 50 countries and the European Union in signing a UN statement backing Ukraine's call for an immediate unconditional ceasefire. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Channel 4 led its summary bulletin with the Kyiv casualties and Poland's air defence response, then used its full programme to place the strikes inside wider UN ceasefire diplomacy. Its framing stressed the gap between Donald Trump's talk of an imminent peace deal and Russia's continued attacks on Ukrainian cities. It also gave space to Ukrainian and European criticism of Moscow, while reporting the US absence from the UN ceasefire statement.
- “At least 20 people, including two children, have been injured during Russian missile and drone attacks on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv”
- “This morning, Poland scrambled fighter jets and closed two airports for a time because of Russian drone attacks on western Ukraine.”
- “50 countries at the UN, as well as the European Union, have signed a statement supporting Ukraine's call for Russia to join an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. But the United States was not among them.”
Who was on air
People and organisations each channel put on air while covering this story. Channels' own presenters and reporters are not listed. Names as transcribed, and the list can miss people.
- 19:02 BST
Donald Trump, US president
“While others have spoken of peace, I have made peace.”
Channel 4 News · Wed 23 Sept - 19:05 BST
Andriy Sybiha, Kyiv counterpart
“Unfortunately, Russia now is attacking us”
Channel 4 News · Wed 23 Sept - 19:06 BST
Andy Burnham, new prime minister
“But we should call Russia out this time and every time.”
Channel 4 News · Wed 23 Sept - 19:12 BST
President Zelensky, Ukrainian president
“And we know that Putin recently once again promised representatives from the American president”
Channel 4 News · Wed 23 Sept - 19:13 BST
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.