Russia targets busy bridge in central Kyiv in broad daylight

Russian forces targeted a key bridge in central Kyiv on Thursday, marking a new escalation in Moscow's attacks on the Ukrainian capital. The Pivdennyi or Southern bridge, a primary artery across the Dnipro River dividing western and eastern Kyiv, came under fire while a metro train was traveling across it. Passengers described dust entering their train carriage through the ventilation system following a blast wave from the drone strike.

This marks the first time the Pivdennyi bridge has been attacked since Thursday. Despite the dramatic explosion near a main support section, city authorities reported no critical damage to the structure during preliminary checks. The drone strikes on Kyiv's bridges serve as a stark reminder that Russia is targeting the city with the aim of disrupting daily life.

Kyiv had recently experienced its first coordinated assault on the city's energy grid since the end of last winter, leading commentators to believe Russia has intensified its campaign against Ukraine due to a shortage of air defenses. Earlier strikes on Wednesday resulted in power cuts across the capital, with Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi noting that a combined strike of this scale had not occurred since the end of spring.

In a separate incident, a Russian drone struck the third floor of a school in Kyiv at around 09:00 local time (10:00 GMT) on Thursday, injuring no one as students had taken shelter. School head teacher Valentyna Chorna emphasized that the shelter's structure was strong enough to prevent casualties, although one wall partially collapsed.

President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced Russia's actions, calling for full accountability. Later in the morning, two additional drones targeted the Pivdenny bridge, causing further concern among Kyiv residents. No one was hurt in these incidents, and road traffic resumed after a brief suspension due to the blasts.

The identity of the drones used in the Kyiv bridge attack remains unclear, but Ukrainian officials have identified a new design of Russia's jet-powered drones that entered service recently. These drones, with a 40kg warhead, are specifically designed to destroy high-voltage electricity pylons and iron bridge structures, according to Zelensky's technology adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov.

Russia has reportedly launched over 3,177 of these drones during recent weeks, highlighting the challenge Ukraine faces with its limited air defenses.