Russia struck another major bridge in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, on Saturday morning. The attack marked the second key bridge hit in just three days. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the strike hit the Northern Bridge over the Dnipro River.
Klitschko said the strike damaged the bridge’s road surface and the overhead wires used by the city’s trolleybuses. Traffic from the left bank to the right bank of the Dnipro River stopped completely after the attack. Emergency teams quickly reached the area after the strike.
The new strike came just one day after Russia hit Kyiv’s Southern Bridge, a large cable-stayed bridge and one of the city’s busiest routes. Russian drones hit the Southern Bridge four times in just two days, forcing officials to close it completely.
Eight bridges cross the Dnipro River in Kyiv, connecting the city’s eastern and western sides. Russia had not directly attacked any of these bridges before this week. Now, damage to the Northern and Southern bridges has disrupted two of the city’s eight main river crossings at the same time.
The bridge damage could badly affect daily life across Kyiv. Before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, more than one-third of the city’s three million residents lived east of the Dnipro River. Most offices, government buildings, and businesses are on the western side. Every day, tens of thousands of people use these bridges to travel to work.
Vitali Klitschko raised concerns about the growing number of attacks on Kyiv. After the city’s defense council held an emergency meeting on Friday, he said the strikes were “tearing Kyiv apart.” He also described the situation as “very dramatic,” saying Russian attacks are damaging key infrastructure, transport systems, and homes across the city.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has defended the strikes, saying Russia began targeting Ukrainian infrastructure after Ukraine attacked Russian energy facilities. But reports show it was actually Russia that launched the first such attacks on energy targets, not Ukraine.
People on the Southern Bridge during the first strike described a frightening scene. The blast wave pushed dust into their train car through the ventilation system. Metro service over the bridge stopped completely for some time. Officials later allowed road traffic to resume, but the area continued to face disruptions after more strikes hit nearby.
An aviation expert who spoke to reporters said that Russia may have a different goal. He said Russia may not be trying to completely destroy the large bridges, even though the repeated strikes are causing serious damage and disrupting traffic.
Local citizens worry that these attacks could be the beginning of a larger winter campaign against the city’s power and infrastructure. The concern brings back memories of last winter, which many residents remember as one of the toughest periods of the war for Kyiv.
Separately overnight, Russian strikes also hit the Kyiv suburb of Hostomel, injuring four people, including a child, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.
As Russia keeps attacking Kyiv’s bridges and power systems, residents are preparing for a difficult winter and growing concerns about more attacks on the city.
