Russian Drone Hits Kyiv Bridge as German Chancellor Merz Visits
Merz Arrives in Kyiv Under Russian Attack
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv on Sunday as Russian drones struck the city, including hitting the Northern Bridge over the Dnipro River. [3] Air raid sirens sounded four times in Kyiv on Sunday morning with explosions and air defence systems heard across the capital as Merz met President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. [1] One of the Russian strikes hit the Northern Bridge across the Dnipro River, damaging its roadway. [1] The strike injured two people and damaged a hot water supply system in the area. [1] Russia has been attacking Kyiv’s bridges since last week in an effort to disrupt links between the capital’s two banks and logistics routes between central and eastern Ukraine. [1] The visit coincided with persistent drone strikes on the heart of Kyiv. [1]
Aid Package and Drone Production Deal
Merz pledged €1 billion in military aid and €350 million for energy repairs. [1] A deal for joint production of various kinds of drones is also due to be finalised. [1] The agreement includes the rapid production of anti-jet drones, which a German defence-technology company has successfully tested. [1] Since the summer, Russia has used dozens of high-speed jet attack drones daily to target civilian and military infrastructure. [1] The deal also involves the joint development and production of weapons with a range of more than 1,000 km that Ukraine can use to launch attacks deep inside Russia. [1] Merz travelled to Ukraine for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as Germany prepared further military and energy support and deeper cooperation with Ukraine's defence industry. [3]
Merz and Zelenskiy Visit Damaged Academy of Sciences
The two leaders visited the badly damaged building of Ukraine’s Academy of Sciences, where at least two people died in a drone strike last week. [1] Merz called on Putin to end the war and stop attacks on civilians. [1] “I can only repeat it once again from this point: Mr Putin, put an end to this senseless war,” Merz said. [1] “We are ready for talks, we are ready to discuss bringing this war to an end, but these barbaric attacks on the civilian population of Ukraine must stop,” he added. [1]
Russian Vow to Intensify Strikes
Russia’s Defence Ministry stated it will intensify strikes on military, defence industry, and related infrastructure in Kyiv and elsewhere in response to Zelenskiy’s vow to increase Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries. [2] The ministry said Russian forces would step up attacks on military facilities, defence industry sites and related infrastructure in Kyiv and elsewhere in Ukraine. [2] Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that Moscow would continue to systematically hit targets in Ukraine in what it said were retaliatory strikes for Ukrainian attacks on Russia in recent months. [1] The Russian Defence Ministry said its recent strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions were a response to what it described as attacks by Kyiv on civilian targets inside Russia. [2]
Zelenskiy on Ukrainian Counter-Strikes
Zelenskiy said Ukraine would double down on refinery strikes in response to Moscow’s new doctrine of targeting civilian infrastructure to force residents to flee. [1] Zelenskiy told Reuters on Saturday his country’s armed forces would double down on their attacks on oil refineries in Russia in response to Moscow’s “new doctrine” of escalating attacks on civilian infrastructure, which he said was aimed at forcing residents of Kyiv and other cities to flee. [1] Both sides deny targeting civilians. [2] Zelenskiy had told Reuters in an interview published on Saturday that Ukraine will double down on attacking Russian oil refineries in response to a new policy of airstrikes by Moscow designed to force people to abandon Kyiv and other cities, but will not target civilians. [2]
Calls for Reforms and Business Delegation
Merz is accompanied on the visit by Economy Minister Katherina Reiche and an economic delegation including executives from Siemens Energy, Hensoldt, Diehl Defence, Quantum Systems and other companies. [1] Merz is also expected to press the Ukrainian government for progress on reforms requested by EU partners, including in the fight against corruption. [1] Zelenskiy said on Wednesday, after speaking to Merz by phone, that Ukraine would soon finalise a deal with Germany for the production of drones, missiles and related software. [1]
What to watch next: Russia’s Defence Ministry has announced stepped-up attacks on military facilities, defence industry sites and related infrastructure in Kyiv and elsewhere in Ukraine, while Ukraine has vowed to increase strikes on Russian oil refineries.
