Russian strikes hit Kyiv's Pivnichnyi (Northern) Bridge on Saturday after earlier attacks on the Pivdennyi (Southern) Bridge this week, prompting the city to close five of six river crossings. The morning strike injured two people and damaged roadway and trolley wires. Moscow said it struck bridges used to move troops and cargo and urged foreigners to leave Kyiv; Ukrainian officials reported counterstrikes against Russian targets. Separate attacks at sea and across several regions resulted in additional civilian casualties, according to local authorities.
Russia Strikes Two Kyiv Bridges; City Closes Five of Six Crossings
People react near a body at the site of a Russian strike on a residential area in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday. At least two people were killed and 36 others injured, including three children, in the attack, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. Photo by Sergey Kozlov/EPA
Russian forces struck two key bridges in Kyiv, targeting infrastructure that links the capital's eastern and western districts and prompting city officials to close most river crossings for safety.
Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said a Saturday morning attack hit the Pivnichnyi (Northern) Bridge. Earlier this week, the Pivdennyi (Southern) Bridge was struck multiple times. Both spans cross the Dnipro River and serve as vital routes for commuters, public transport and emergency services.
The Saturday strike injured two people and damaged a roadway and overhead trolley wires on the Pivnichnyi Bridge, Klitschko reported. Authorities temporarily closed five of Kyiv's six river crossings citing concerns about additional attacks and structural safety.
Moscow claimed the strikes hit bridges used to move Ukrainian troops and military cargo and urged foreigners in Kyiv, including diplomatic staff, to leave the city. Independent analysts say the drone attacks — reportedly involving Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles — are unlikely to cause an immediate collapse but can produce enough damage to render a bridge unsafe until inspected and repaired.
"The Russians continue to turn our infrastructure and everything that supports ordinary life into their targets. This morning in Kyiv, a 'shahed' struck the Pivnichnyi Bridge," President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X. He added that Ukrainian forces had responded with long-range strikes against assets supporting Russia's war effort.
Klitschko warned on Telegram that parts of Kyiv are being destroyed and that life in the city can no longer be treated as it was in peacetime.
Separately, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority said a Russian attack on a Liberian-flagged vessel in the Odesa region killed two crew members and injured three; 12 other crew were evacuated safely. Russian and Russia-backed authorities also reported casualties in other areas: a reported Ukrainian strike killed two people in Russian-occupied Luhansk; Russian officials said one person was killed and 10 injured in a Ukrainian drone attack in Zaporizhia; and Russian media reported one death in Belgorod near the Ukrainian border. These claims are attributed to the respective local authorities and media.
Local officials and international observers continue to monitor the bridges and other infrastructure for further damage and to assess repairs. Kyiv authorities have urged residents to follow official guidance and avoid affected crossings while inspections are carried out.
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