Russian Drones Strike Kyiv Bridge for Fourth Day as Merz Visits Ukrainian Capital
Russian Drone Strikes Hit Kyiv Bridges Again
Major bridges in Kyiv have been hit by Russian drone strikes for four consecutive days. Two people were injured when the Pivnichnyi Bridge was struck on Sunday morning for the second day in a row. The Pivdennyi Bridge was hit multiple times earlier in the week. Video footage verified by the BBC shows cars moving on the Pivnichnyi Bridge as a drone crashes into it before exploding and creating a ball of fire. A cloud of black smoke rose above the bridge. Other images show a gaping hole in the middle of a traffic lane on the bridge. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said two people were injured in the latest Russian attack and that the Pivnichnyi Bridge's roadway was hit. The two struck bridges are still standing, but the damage and restrictions to traffic and public transport have caused gridlock in parts of the capital at times. [2]
Broader Overnight Attacks Across Ukraine
Russian air strikes targeted port infrastructure in Ukraine's Odesa region. Ukraine's Air Force said that overnight Russia had launched 135 drones, including 52 jet-powered ones, and that 125 projectiles had been shot down. A separate Russian drone strike damaged a heating main in Kyiv's Desnyanskyi district. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian drones had also attacked a warehouse in the north-eastern region of Sumy, killing one person. In the central city of Dnipro, six people were injured after a communications facility was struck. [1] [2]
Merz's Surprise Visit Amid Air Raid Sirens
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz made a surprise visit to Kyiv as the latest attack occurred. Merz met Zelensky in Kyiv. They laid wreaths to Ukrainian soldiers who have been killed in the war. Zelensky and Merz visited the main building of Ukraine's National Academy of Sciences that was badly damaged by a Russian drone strike earlier this week. Fresh air alert sirens were heard across the city as Merz was visiting the academy building. Merz reaffirmed his country's support for Ukraine, writing on X that Ukraine is facing decisive weeks and that Germany is helping out of its own self-interest. [2] [4]
New German Aid Package Announced
A new aid package worth more than €1.3 billion had been agreed with Germany. These include weapons that will help right now as well as support for Ukraine's energy sector ahead of winter. Merz announced $393 million for repairs in the energy sector. German officials said executives from companies who travelled with Merz had signed 14 agreements with the Ukrainian government and businesses worth roughly $7.4 billion. Among those deals, Ukraine inked an agreement with Germany's Diehl Defense for the supply of IRIS-T air defense missiles, as well as a deal for radar equipment with Hensoldt and for jet drone interceptors with Quantum Systems. Merz said Germany remained Ukraine's strongest backer and that the country needs all support in the coming weeks. [2] [4]
Russian Justification and Warnings
Russia's military said it would be intensifying strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions. The Russian defence ministry said on Sunday it would intensify its strikes across Ukraine in response to comments made by Zelensky earlier this week in which he said Kyiv would ramp up its attacks on Russian oil refineries. The Russian foreign ministry on Saturday repeated a warning for foreign citizens, including diplomats, to leave Kyiv. Responding to the warning, EU ambassador Katarína Mathernová wrote on X that the EU Delegation is staying and that threatening them will not stop Europe's support for Ukraine. German ambassador to Ukraine, Boris Ruge, reacted to Mathernová's post with "Amen - we're staying". [2]
Impact on Kyiv Residents and Future Plans
Kyiv's eight bridges across the wide Dnipro River link the western and eastern parts, and many of the capital's estimated three million residents rely heavily on the metro lines and trains to travel across the city. Some 500,000 vehicles use the bridges every day. A Kyiv resident named Roman told the BBC that to get from the left bank to the right one and back is just hell. Repair teams are working to fix the damage, and officials say they are planning temporary pontoon bridges, ferry services and even a tunnel under the river to keep Kyiv connected. Klitschko also said there would be a temporary lack of hot water in the north-eastern Desnyanskyi district as a result of the damaged heating main. [2]
What to watch next: Zelensky said Ukraine is willing to meet this month for talks and hoped Russia would join, but he said Western allies needed to apply more pressure to Moscow to bring the war to an end. Merz appealed to Putin to put an end to this senseless war and said the barbaric attacks on the civilian population of Ukraine must stop.
