Russia strikes second major bridge in Kyiv, mayor says

Russian forces struck a second major bridge in Kyiv on Saturday morning, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported, as Russia steps up assaults on essential infrastructure in the Ukrainian capital. The assault on the Northern Bridge on Saturday damaged the road surface and overhead wires for trolleybuses, Klitschko said. This attack follows multiple strikes on the Southern Bridge by Russian drones since Thursday, with Klitschko warning that such attacks were tearing Kyiv apart.

Both bridges connect the eastern and western parts of the capital and had not been targeted before Thursday, marking a new phase in Moscow's aggression. In a Telegram post on Saturday, Klitschko stated, "Hitting the North Bridge. Emergency services are on their way. Traffic on the bridge from left to right bank is currently blocked."

Earlier drone strikes on the Southern Bridge prompted a crisis meeting with Kyiv's defense council on Friday, after which Klitschko described the city's situation as "very dramatic" as Moscow targeted critical infrastructure, logistics, housing and other key facilities. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed Russia was responding to Ukraine's attacks on Russian energy facilities, despite Russia initiating such strikes.

After the Southern Bridge was hit on Thursday, passengers reported that dust from a blast wave entered their carriage through ventilation systems, suspending metro trains but later allowing limited road traffic to resume. Further disruptions occurred on Friday following additional strikes.