Russia strikes second major bridge in Kyiv, mayor says

Russian forces struck a second major crossing in Kyiv on Saturday morning, according to the city's mayor, marking an intensification of strikes targeting vital transportation routes in Ukraine's capital.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on Telegram that the Northern Bridge was hit in the latest bombardment, resulting in damage to the road surface and bringing down overhead power cables used by trolleybuses. Emergency responders were deployed to the scene immediately following the blast, and vehicular traffic heading from the left bank toward the right bank of the Dnipro River was halted.

The strike marks the second strategic crossing hit within forty-eight hours. Since Thursday, Russian drones have repeatedly targeted the Southern Bridge, where an explosion damaged structural cables. The two crossings are vital transit arteries connecting the eastern and western halves of Kyiv, and neither had sustained strikes prior to Thursday's assault.

The escalating campaign against urban infrastructure has prompted deep concern among local officials. On Friday, the capital's defence council convened for an urgent session to address the strikes. Following the meeting, Klitschko warned that Kyiv faces an increasingly grave situation as Moscow targets residential areas, logistics networks, and broader public utilities. He had previously cautioned that the persistent bombardments were severely destabilizing the capital.

The recent attacks have also disrupted normal transit operations across Kyiv. During Thursday's strike on the Southern Bridge, blast waves forced dust through ventilation shafts into metro carriages, leading to a temporary halt of subway services before vehicular traffic could be safely restored. Further attacks caused ongoing transit issues into Friday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has framed the escalated strikes as retaliation for Ukrainian actions against Russian energy infrastructure. However, Moscow initiated broad attacks against Ukraine's civil and energy networks earlier in the conflict. Emergency crews in Kyiv continue working to repair the damage and restore traffic flows between the two sides of the city.