Russia Strikes Key Northern Bridge Across Kyiv’s Dnipro River

KYIV, UKRAINE — WEB DESK: Russia struck another major bridge across the Dnipro River in Kyiv on Saturday, damaging a key transport connection between the eastern and western sections of the Ukrainian capital as attacks on the city’s infrastructure intensified.

The Northern Bridge was hit during a Russian air attack early on October 3, prompting emergency services to deploy to the area.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the strike damaged the bridge’s road surface and overhead trolleybus power lines.

Traffic across the bridge was suspended following the attack while emergency teams assessed the damage.

No casualties were reported in the immediate aftermath of the strike.

The bridge was not completely destroyed and the full extent of structural damage was not immediately clear.

The Northern Bridge is one of Kyiv’s important transport arteries across the Dnipro, connecting heavily populated districts on the eastern bank with areas on the western side of the capital.

Its closure added to transport disruption already affecting Kyiv following a series of Russian strikes on bridges over the river.

The latest attack came after the Southern Bridge was hit multiple times during Russian drone strikes over the previous two days.

Those attacks forced authorities to temporarily halt or restrict traffic across several Dnipro crossings, creating severe congestion across the Ukrainian capital.

More than a third of Kyiv’s population lived on the eastern side of the Dnipro before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, while much of the city’s government and commercial activity is concentrated on the western bank.

The latest attacks have therefore disrupted daily travel for residents as well as movement across the city.

The strikes come amid an intensification of Russian aerial operations targeting Ukrainian infrastructure ahead of winter.

Ukraine has accused Moscow of seeking to disrupt civilian life and critical infrastructure through repeated attacks.

Russia has previously denied deliberately targeting civilians and says its military operations are directed at targets connected to Ukraine’s war effort.

Saturday’s attack marks the third consecutive day in which key bridges in Kyiv have come under Russian strikes, increasing concerns over the vulnerability of the capital’s transport network as the war continues.