Russian drone strikes have repeatedly hit bridges across the Dnipro River in Kyiv, disrupting transport for the city's roughly three million residents. Mayor Vitali Klitschko has warned that the capital is in a "very dramatic situation" and "on the brink".
The Pivdennyi (Southern) bridge was hit in an overnight attack on Thursday into Friday and struck again on Friday evening, the fourth time in two days, according to the BBC. Metro and road traffic across it has been suspended, and restrictions apply on the city's two other key bridges. Folha de S.Paulo reported that three structures were targeted on Friday and that two bridges were closed for much of the morning before reopening in the early afternoon. At least one person was killed when a multi-storey residential building was hit overnight, Ukraine's state emergency service said. French broadcaster RFI reported that the disruption is expected to continue through the weekend. Taxi driver Yevhen, 64, told RFI that if attacks come while people are crossing, "there will be many victims".
The bridges are central to daily life. Kyiv is split by the Dnipro into western and eastern parts. According to Folha, before the war the east held about 30% of the population but only 18% of jobs, so the crossings are vital to the local economy. Klitschko told a defence council meeting that Russia aims to "sow panic" and said, "We're talking about survival." He added that pretending life can go on as in peacetime is no longer possible.
Russia's Defence Ministry said the bridges are used to move troops and equipment towards the Donbas, the eastern region where the main front lies, according to Folha. President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that attacks on Ukrainian economic targets respond to Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil refineries and Black Sea ships. He acknowledged Kyiv had "got some results", with Russia losing about 1% of GDP. Ukraine says it targets oil infrastructure because it helps finance the war. President Volodymyr Zelensky, in an interview with the Financial Times, said Russia wants to destroy bridges, data centres, hospitals and schools to make people flee their cities.
Winter is the wider concern. Kyiv says it needs at least 300 Patriot interceptor missiles to protect the capital, and has secured extra 20mm ammunition for its F-16 jets from Poland, Belgium and Spain to counter new jet-powered Russian drones. Folha cited a New York Times report, based on purported Russian plans intercepted by Ukraine, of a possible strike of more than 1,000 missiles and drones on the power system. The newspaper said it could not verify the plans' authenticity. Some Kyiv residents are already working remotely, sheltering often, or preparing to leave before winter, RFI reported.