Bridge across Dnipro river in Kyiv hit during Russian attack

The Northern Bridge spanning the Dnipro River in Kyiv was destroyed by a Russian air attack on Saturday, disrupting transport between the city's eastern and western banks, according to Reuters. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that emergency services were dispatched in response to the strike. Traffic from the eastern side to the western side was halted following damage to the bridge's road surface and overhead trolleybus cables.

This attack followed several drone strikes on the Southern Bridge over the past two days, which temporarily halted traffic across three Dnipro River crossings. The disruption could complicate movement in Kyiv, where over a third of the city's approximately 3 million residents lived on the eastern bank before Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Most government institutions and companies are situated on the western bank, with a significant portion of residents crossing the river for work. The latest attack comes amid an escalation in Russian assaults on infrastructure in and around Kyiv ahead of winter. Last week, Russia initiated what Ukrainian officials characterized as the opening phase of a cold-weather campaign targeting the country's power infrastructure.

These attacks have heightened concerns among Kyiv residents, who experienced widespread disruption to electricity and heating systems during strikes last winter. Recent strikes have also targeted other infrastructure in the capital, including the Southern Bridge, as Russian forces have increased their use of drones against Kyiv.

Moscow has previously denied systematically targeting civilians in its bombing campaigns. Russia initiated its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.