TL;DR
Get hardware and tech essentials delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
Russian drones attacked Kyiv’s Southern Bridge on October 1 and 2 and the Northern Bridge on October 3, damaging infrastructure and injuring two people in the latter attack, Meduza reported. The Southern Bridge is closed to cars and metro trains, while the Northern Bridge is partly closed. Ukrainian experts say drones alone cannot destroy the bridges, but repeated strikes could make them unsafe and disrupt travel across the capital.
Russian forces have attacked two of Kyiv’s bridges across the Dnipro River in recent days, damaging the Southern Bridge and Northern Bridge and restricting traffic on both, according to Meduza. The report describes the strikes as the first attacks on the capital’s Dnipro bridges since Russia’s full-scale invasion began; the damage has already disrupted transport in Kyiv, with the Southern Bridge closed to cars and metro trains.
Drones struck the Southern Bridge on October 1 and 2, damaging a bridge support, guardrail, road surface and concrete barrier beside the metro tracks, Meduza reported. The bridge remains closed to both cars and metro trains. The report said the attacks caused severe traffic jams in the capital, though it did not provide figures on delays or how many commuters were affected.
The Northern Bridge was attacked on October 3. Two people were injured, and the road surface and overhead trolleybus power lines were damaged, according to Meduza. The bridge is partly closed to traffic. The report did not identify the injured people or provide details about their conditions, nor did it specify which parts of the bridge remain accessible.
Kyiv has nine bridges across the Dnipro, Meduza said. Ukrainian experts cited in the report said drones alone would not be capable of destroying the bridges and that more powerful weapons would be needed. They warned, however, that continued drone strikes could weaken the structures or otherwise make them unsafe, requiring traffic to stop. The report did not name the experts or provide a technical assessment of the damage to either bridge.
Bridge Closures Disrupt Kyiv Travel
The strikes affect key transport links across the Dnipro, a river that divides Kyiv and makes bridge access important for travel between parts of the city. Closures can force drivers and public transport users to seek other routes, increasing congestion even if the bridges remain structurally intact. Meduza reported that damage to the Southern Bridge has already produced severe traffic jams.
The immediate concern is not only whether a single strike can destroy a bridge. Ukrainian experts told Meduza that repeated attacks could make the crossings unsafe, potentially prompting further restrictions or full closures. If that happened, disruption could extend beyond the damaged structures to road traffic, metro services and trolleybus routes. The report does not establish that either bridge is at risk of collapse; it describes the possibility of safety problems if attacks continue.
The attacks also come amid reports of a broader increase in Russian strikes on Kyiv and damage to civilian infrastructure. The extent to which the bridge attacks are part of a wider operational effort, and whether more attacks are planned, has not been confirmed in the source report.
portable traffic cone for road safety
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Strikes Amid Intensified Kyiv Attacks
Meduza reported that the attacks came as Russian strikes on Kyiv had become more frequent and caused greater damage to civilian infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence had learned from intercepted communications that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered military commanders in September to disregard the rules of warfare during airstrikes on Ukraine. That is Zelenskyy’s account; the report did not independently verify the alleged order or provide the intercepted communications.
The Guardian reported that Western diplomats were preparing contingency plans to relocate their embassies from Kyiv as attacks intensified. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said it knew nothing about those plans, according to Meduza. Russia again called on Western diplomats to leave the city. No embassy evacuation was confirmed in the source material. Meduza noted that departures could be portrayed by Moscow as a propaganda victory, but that is an interpretation of the possible political effect, not a confirmed outcome.
The bridge attacks are a specific development within this wider security situation: the source reports damage to named crossings and resulting restrictions, but does not offer evidence about the intended military objective. The reported effects on transport are immediate; the longer-term impact depends on the condition of the bridges and whether attacks continue.
“Drones alone cannot destroy the bridges; more powerful weapons would be needed.”
— Ukrainian experts cited by Meduza
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Damage Assessments Still Incomplete
The source report does not provide independent structural inspections, engineering measurements or an official estimate of how long the closures will last. It is not clear whether the Southern Bridge’s metro service or car access will resume soon, or which restrictions on the Northern Bridge will remain in place. No estimate is given for repair costs or the number of journeys affected.
It is also unclear whether further attacks on Kyiv’s bridges are expected. The experts’ warning that repeated drone strikes could make bridges unsafe is a risk assessment, not confirmation that either crossing is currently close to failure. Details about the two people injured in the Northern Bridge attack, including their conditions, were not reported in the supplied material.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Repairs and Access Updates Ahead
The next immediate developments will be updates on bridge access and repairs, including whether engineers can assess the damage and when the Southern Bridge might reopen to vehicles and metro trains. Further information on Northern Bridge traffic and trolleybus service would clarify how much of the crossing remains usable. The source report gives no reopening timetable.
Any additional strikes could change the safety assessment and transport restrictions. For now, the reported status is that the Southern Bridge is closed to cars and metro trains and the Northern Bridge is partly closed. The report does not say whether Kyiv authorities have announced new measures, such as alternative transport arrangements or a formal public safety assessment.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
Which Kyiv bridges were attacked?
Russian drones attacked the Southern Bridge on October 1 and 2 and the Northern Bridge on October 3, according to Meduza.
Are the bridges open?
The Southern Bridge is closed to cars and metro trains. The Northern Bridge is partly closed to traffic. The source report does not give detailed access arrangements or reopening dates.
Were people injured?
Meduza reported that two people were injured in the October 3 attack on the Northern Bridge. Their identities and conditions were not provided.
Could drones destroy the bridges?
Ukrainian experts cited by Meduza said drones alone could not destroy the bridges and that more powerful weapons would be needed. They warned that repeated strikes could still make the structures unsafe. No independent engineering assessment was included in the report.
When will the bridges reopen?
No reopening timetable was provided. The Southern Bridge remains closed to cars and metro trains, while the Northern Bridge is partly closed, according to the report.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
