Russian drone attacks successively damaged bridges over the Dnipro River in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv.
The bridges are infrastructure used all at once by vehicles, public transportation, and commuters.
That is why even without completely destroying the bridges, the attacks can place a major burden on the city’s functioning.
3-Line Summary
1. Traffic stopped after Kyiv’s bridges were hit
2. Vehicles and the subway were suspended on the Southern Bridge
3. Damage to the bridges is putting pressure on everyday urban life
Bridge Attacks Continue for the Third Day
Russian forces attacked Kyiv’s road bridges crossing the Dnipro River. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that damage to the road surface and trolleybus overhead lines on the Northern Bridge had halted passage. According to German public broadcaster Tagesschau, on the day before this attack, 3 of the 6 road bridges had also become completely or partially impassable.
The Southern Bridge was also hit by several drones over the course of several days. Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) reported that drones collided with the roadway and the stay cables supporting the bridge, and that vehicle traffic on the bridge was subsequently blocked. The attack on the Northern Bridge injured 2 people, and some lanes reportedly remained closed until that afternoon.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that the bridges help the Ukrainian military move troops and transport military supplies. This is the Russian side’s explanation for the reason for the attacks and is a separate claim from the impact on civilian traffic caused by the bridge damage.
Why It Is Not Merely a Problem of Blocked Vehicles
The Dnipro River runs through Kyiv. Many citizens living on the eastern side of the river, known as the Left Bank, must travel to the opposite side, where their workplaces are located. Even when only one of the several bridges is closed, vehicles concentrate on the remaining bridges; FAZ reported that on the Southern Bridge, not only vehicles but also the subway line had been suspended.
There has also been analysis suggesting that bridges are massive structures and would not be immediately destroyed by drone attacks alone. However, damage to lanes, cables, and overhead lines leads to traffic restrictions until repairs and safety inspections are complete. In fact, traffic congestion continued in Kyiv for 3 consecutive days, and local media reported traffic paralysis. Videos posted on social media showing people crossing the bridges on foot have not been independently verified.
What is notable about these attacks is that whether a bridge remains standing and whether the city’s functions continue are different matters. Even if a bridge remains, the suspension of just one of the vehicle, trolleybus, or subway services can immediately disrupt citizens’ travel times and daily routes.
Faster Drones Increase the Burden on Air Defenses
FAZ reported that Russia has recently intensified airstrikes on several cities, including Kyiv and its surrounding areas, attacking Ukraine with more than 100 drones almost every day. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, approximately 2/3 of these are equipped with jet engines.
The newly mentioned models Geran-4 and Geran-5 are also called by the name “Shahed,” which referred to the Iranian originals, but Geran-5 is reportedly different in appearance and performance from existing propeller-driven drones. Its top speed is 600 kilometers per hour, and it is described as having a night-vision camera and automatic target-identification functions. FAZ reported that it was designed to find targets even if communications are cut off during a steep dive due to electronic jamming.
Der Spiegel reported that Russia’s Foreign Ministry again urged foreigners and diplomatic personnel to leave Kyiv or avoid visiting Ukraine. Russia warned of additional attacks, but this is only a stated position, and the scale or timing of future attacks has not been determined. However, as damage targeting bridges and power and supply facilities overlaps, airstrikes may come to Kyiv residents not as military news but as an issue that divides their ability to travel and earn a living.
References
Tags #Ukraine #Kyiv #RussiaUkraineWar #DniproRiver #KyivBridges #DroneAttack #RussianDrones #Geran5 #ShahedDrones #KyivTraffic #AirstrikesOnUkraine #SouthernBridge #NorthernBridge