Russian drone strikes hit multiple bridges across the Dnipro in Kyiv, with the Southern Bridge closed in both directions and restrictions imposed on the Paton and Metro bridges, according to the Kyiv city administration
The strikes caused major transport disruption, forcing buses and other services to use alternative crossings and producing long traffic jams as commuters tried to move between Kyiv’s two banks
Russia said it had targeted an automobile-railway bridge that it claimed was being used to move Ukrainian troops and supplies, but that military-use claim could not be independently verified
Russian Airstrikes Target Bridges Across Dnipro River In Kyiv
Russian drone strikes hit key bridges across the Dnipro River in Kyiv, disrupting transport between the Ukrainian capital’s two banks and killing one person, according to Ukrainian officials.
Summary
Russian drone strikes damaged key bridges across the Dnipro River in Kyiv on Friday, with the Southern Bridge fully closed and restrictions imposed on the Paton and Metro bridges after overnight attacks, Ukrainian city authorities said. One person was killed and two others injured elsewhere in the capital.
Bridges Hit
According to the Kyiv city administration, the Southern Bridge was closed in both directions after a further impact at 5:04am. The Paton Bridge was also closed to traffic between the right and left banks, while movement on the Metro Bridge was restricted to one lane towards the right bank. Public transport routes were diverted through other bridges.
The city administration said the restrictions followed a series of overnight drone warnings and attacks. At 6:43am, authorities announced that the air alert had ended, but transport restrictions remained in place.
Traffic on the Southern and Paton bridges was temporarily halted and movement on another bridge partially suspended. Long traffic jams formed during the morning, with footage showing people walking across a bridge closed to cars and metro trains. Traffic on the affected bridges was restored by around midday.
Residential Hit
Kyiv authorities also reported an impact on the upper floors of a residential high-rise in the Darnytskyi district at around 6:30am, where a fire broke out and emergency services were sent to the site. Earlier, debris fell in the Holosiivskyi district, damaging windows in a non-residential building and several cars, with no casualties reported there.
A separate drone strike on the capital killed one person and injured two others after a fire broke out on the upper floors of an apartment building.
Russia's Claim
Russia's Defence Ministry said on Telegram that its forces had struck an automobile-railway bridge over the Dnipro in Kyiv, claiming it was being used to move troops and military supplies for Ukrainian forces. It also said strikes hit an electrical substation in Kyiv region, an industrial facility at the port of Izmail and a cargo vessel. These claims could not be independently verified.
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The attacks come as Russia has intensified strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure ahead of winter. According to Kyiv authorities cited by Reuters, more than a third of the capital's roughly 3 million residents lived on the eastern, or left, bank of the Dnipro before Russia's 2022 invasion, while only 18% of jobs were located there. Most government institutions and companies are on the western, or right, bank.
The bridge strikes therefore disrupted a transport network connecting large residential areas with Kyiv's main employment and administrative centres, while the wider overnight attack also caused damage to residential and civilian infrastructure.
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