A vital bridge in Kyiv has been targeted by Russian drone strikes for the second consecutive day, coinciding with an unannounced visit to the Ukrainian capital by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The Pivnichnyi, or Northern, Bridge was struck on Sunday morning, just one day after an initial drone attack damaged its roadway and caused significant traffic disruptions. According to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, Sunday's strike also damaged a heating main, resulting in a temporary loss of hot water for residents in the north-eastern Desnyanskyi district. The incident is part of an intensifying Russian campaign over the past four days targeting key infrastructure across the capital.
Unverified video footage of the Sunday morning strike captured the moment a drone crashed into the bridge and exploded into a fireball as civilian vehicles were moving along the roadway. A large plume of black smoke was seen rising above the structure. Klitschko confirmed the attack on Telegram, writing, "Hitting the roadway on the North Bridge. Emergency services are on their way to the scene."
As emergency teams responded to the damage, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv by train to reaffirm Germany's support and pledge additional assistance to strengthen Ukraine's air defenses. Merz joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a memorial dedicated to fallen defenders. Writing on the social media platform X, Merz stated, "Ukraine is facing decisive weeks. That is why I travelled to Kyiv today with the message: You can rely on us." He added that "Germany's security also depends on the outcome of this war. That is why we are helping out of our own self-interest as well."
The repeated strikes on the Northern Bridge follow a series of attacks on Kyiv's transport links. The first strike on the Northern Bridge on Saturday injured two people, damaging both the road surface and overhead trolleybus wires. Days earlier, the Pivdennyi, or Southern, Bridge was hit multiple times by Russian drones, with a strike on Friday damaging its cables. The Pivdennyi and Pivnichnyi bridges span the Dnipro River to connect the western and eastern sectors of the capital. Prior to Thursday, neither bridge had been hit during the conflict.
Russia has claimed responsibility for the operations, stating its drones targeted the two bridges because they are used to transport Ukrainian troops and military cargo. Moscow also repeated its warning advising foreign nationals and diplomats to leave Kyiv. While structural experts suggest that drone strikes are unlikely to completely collapse the bridges, they warned that persistent attacks could force their closure and compromise their structural integrity over time.
The escalation prompted Kyiv's defense council to hold an emergency crisis meeting on Friday. Klitschko warned that the capital is facing a "very dramatic situation" due to Moscow's continuous bombardment of "critical infrastructure, logistics, housing" and other essential facilities. Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that the strikes are a response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities, despite Moscow having initiated the targeting of such infrastructure first. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
