Russia Strikes Second Major Kyiv Bridge as Attacks Escalate

A Russian airstrike has damaged Kyiv’s Northern Bridge, the second major bridge in the Ukrainian capital to be hit in recent days as Moscow intensifies attacks on infrastructure across the city.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the strike on Saturday damaged the road surface and overhead trolleybus cables on the Northern, or Pivnichnyi, Bridge. Traffic across the bridge was suspended while emergency services responded. No casualties were reported.

The attack came after repeated Russian drone strikes on the Southern, or Pivdennyi, Bridge on Thursday and Friday. Those strikes damaged parts of the bridge and disrupted both road and metro services, causing significant traffic problems across Kyiv.

The Northern and Southern bridges are key routes across the Dnipro River, connecting Kyiv’s eastern and western sides. More than a third of the capital’s roughly three million residents live on the eastern bank, while many work on the western side, making the crossings important to daily movement.

Klitschko had earlier described the situation in Kyiv as “very dramatic” following the attacks on critical infrastructure. The city’s authorities have faced growing transport disruption as several bridges have been closed or restricted amid the latest strikes.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said the Northern Bridge was used for military troop transfers and logistics and claimed it had also struck a logistics centre in Kyiv. The mayor did not mention the alleged logistics-centre strike in his initial account.

The bridge attacks are part of a broader escalation in Russian strikes on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine. Reuters reported that Russia has intensified attacks on energy and transport infrastructure as Ukraine prepares for another difficult winter, following major strikes on power facilities in recent days.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of seeking to damage essential services and infrastructure, including bridges, communications facilities, hospitals and schools. Russia, however, has repeatedly denied systematically targeting civilians and says its strikes are directed at military and strategic targets.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The latest bridge strikes add to growing concerns in Kyiv over transport, energy and infrastructure security as Russian attacks continue.