Russian strikes hit power facilities around Kyiv, damage major bridge

Russian forces conducted missile and drone strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight, causing significant damage to energy infrastructure and a major bridge, officials reported on Saturday. The attacks involved multiple waves of ballistic missiles, several of which struck the Northern Bridge, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

He described the situation as "extremely difficult" for power, heating, and water supplies in Kyiv, where temperatures were near freezing in the early hours of Saturday. Governor Tymur Tkachenko informed that energy facilities in at least three districts of the Kyiv region were targeted. The overnight attack resulted in one fatality and eight injuries, including a child, with homes and non-residential buildings also damaged.

Moscow's defense ministry claimed it carried out a major strike on targets in Ukraine's military-industrial sector, energy, and transport infrastructure near Kyiv. Russia has intensified its air attacks on Ukraine as its ground offensive has largely stalled, focusing on energy infrastructure in major cities using missiles and drones difficult to intercept.

This comes four-and-a-half years into the ongoing full-scale invasion. Over the recent weeks, Russia has broadened its campaign to target Kyiv's bridges, causing traffic disruptions in the city of over 3 million inhabitants. The strikes occurred on the eve of a new round of three-way talks in Abu Dhabi between Ukrainian and Russian officials, part of a US-backed peace effort that has thus far produced few results.