Russian forces have launched a targeted aerial campaign against major bridges across the Dnipro River in Kyiv, with targeted aim of cutting the Ukrainian capital’s logistics and transit infrastructure in half.
The explosion injured two people sparking a huge plume of fire as cars crossed on their routine journeys on Sunday.
Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said the strike on the bridge damaged the road surface and trolleybus cables, disrupting transit for the roughly 600,000 vehicles that rely on them daily.
Russia’s Defence Ministry on Saturday confirmed it was behind the latest attack, claiming the bridge is used to ‘facilitate troop movements and the logistics of military cargo deliveries’ for Ukraine’s armed forces.
It is the second time the Northern Bridge has been hit in as many days and comes as the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited the capital to see the destruction for himself and announce a new aid package for Ukraine worth more than 1.3 billion euros ($1.5 billion).
Kyiv’s Southern Bridge, which serves ground transportation and the city’s subway system, was hit five times in less than 24 hours on Friday.
Russia vowed to intensify strikes on Kyiv after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would increase attacks on Russian oil refineries.
In retaliation Russian forces said they would step up attacks on military facilities, defence industry sites and infrastructure in Kyiv.
Zelensky said Ukraine will now double down on attacking Russian oil refineries in response to a new policy of airstrikes by Moscow designed to force people to abandon Kyiv.
