In brief
Russian drones struck Kyiv’s Northern Bridge, inflicting damage to the road surface and overhead trolleybus wires, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko. The attack follows mounting strikes on the Southern Bridge since Thursday, underscoring a new escalation in Moscow’s campaign. Klitschko warned citizens of blocked traffic and a "dramatic" situation as the city struggles to cope with intensified strikes on key infrastructure. He reiterated that Russian strikes are a response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities, a claim disputed by Kyiv’s leadership.
By Ella Kipling
A Russian strike has hit a second major bridge in Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko says.
The attack damaged the bridge's road surface and the overhead trolleybus wires that run across the Northern Bridge.
The strike follows a series of assaults on the city’s Southern Bridge, which has been targeted repeatedly by Russian drones since Thursday.
These bridges are the main thoroughfares linking the eastern and western parts of Kyiv, and the new attacks mark a shift to targets that had previously remained undamaged. Klitschko described the situation as a new, more destructive phase of Moscow’s assault.
Klitschko posted on Telegram: "Hitting the North Bridge. Emergency services are on their way." He added that traffic from the left to the right bank is currently blocked. Earlier attacks on the Southern Bridge prompted a crisis meeting with Kyiv’s defence council, in which the mayor warned of intensified Russian drone and missile strikes tearing the city apart.
He said the city is now in a "very dramatic situation" as Moscow attacks critical infrastructure such as logistics hubs, housing and other key facilities. Russian President Vladimir Putin has framed Russia’s actions as a response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy sites, although Moscow was the first to launch such attacks.
For further coverage: Russia targets busy bridge in central Kyiv.
