Russia hits second major bridge in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv

A Russian strike recently damaged the Pivnichnyi (Northern) Bridge in Kyiv, Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko reported. Two individuals sustained injuries, and the bridge's road surface and overhead trolleybus wires were damaged, causing traffic congestion. This incident follows multiple drone attacks on the Pivdennyi (Southern) Bridge by Russian forces this week, with Klitschko warning that "the enemy is tearing Kyiv apart."

Both bridges, which connect Kyiv's western and eastern parts, had not been targeted before Thursday. The strikes have severed road, rail, and trolleybus links across the Dnipro River. The ongoing threat of drone attacks has led to road restrictions, resulting in traffic jams for a second day. About three million residents, including commuters who rely on the metro, face potential disruptions.

Experts suggest that while Russian drones may not collapse the bridges, repeated attacks could force their closure, weakening their structural integrity. Ukrainian lawmakers have discussed contingency plans involving ferries or temporary pontoon bridges to maintain city connectivity if the bridges are destroyed. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities prompted the strikes on the bridges, despite Ukraine initiating such assaults.

Zelensky stated that Russia now follows "no rules" in its attacks on Ukraine, targeting critical infrastructure, data centers, internet, mobile networks, hospitals, kindergartens, schools, and universities. Putin insisted that Russia's economic attacks on Ukraine were in response to strikes on Russian oil refineries and ships in the Black Sea.