Russia Targets Kyiv Bridges as German Chancellor Visits Kyiv

Sun Oct 04 2026 21:53:56 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Russian strikes hit Kyiv's Pivnichnyi and Pivdennyi bridges in the past four days amid Moscow's pressure on the capital, as Germany's Friedrich Merz visits.

Russian forces have intensified attacks on major bridges in Kyiv over the last four days, hitting the Pivnichnyi Bridge for a second consecutive day and the Pivdennyi Bridge multiple times earlier in the week. The most recent strike occurred on the day German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited the Ukrainian capital, further raising international attention to the city's vulnerability. BBC Ukraine correspondent Dan Johnson reports from the vicinity of the damaged bridges, offering real‑time accounts of the damage and response efforts. The sustained targeting of these critical infrastructure points signals Moscow’s strategy to disrupt Kyiv’s connectivity and logistics. Local authorities have pledged rapid repair work while international allies weigh additional support for Ukraine’s reconstruction.

Russian Strikes on Kyiv’s Pivnichnyi and Pivdennyi Bridges

For the past four days, Moscow has repeatedly targeted Kyiv’s most important bridges, with the Pivnichnyi (Northern) Bridge struck for the second day in a row and the Pivdennyi (Southern) Bridge hit multiple times earlier in the week.

The latest assault came on Sunday, the same day German Chancellor Friedrich Merz paid a surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital, heightening the international spotlight on the city’s exposed infrastructure.

BBC Ukraine correspondent Dan Johnson is standing near one of the damaged bridges, where he provides eyewitness accounts of the damage and the city’s immediate response. He notes that the strikes have caused significant disruption to traffic, emergency services, and supply lines.

Local officials have promised rapid repairs, but engineers warn that restoring full functionality could take weeks. International allies are debating additional aid to help Ukraine rebuild critical infrastructure amid the ongoing conflict.

For more on this story, see Kyiv bridge hit as German chancellor visits.