Russia Hits Kyiv's Pivdennyi Bridge With Drones In Broad Daylight — The First Time The Capital's Bridges Have Been Targeted

Two Russian drones have hit one of the main bridges in central Kyiv in broad daylight, the first time the capital's bridges have been attacked since the war began, according to BBC News.

What Happened

The strikes hit the Pivdennyi (Southern) bridge late on Thursday morning, while a metro train was travelling across it. The bridge is one of the main arteries over the Dnipro river, linking western and eastern Kyiv.

One drone hit the base of a central support. A Ukrainian TV reporter on the train told the BBC a passenger shouted "Shahed", the name of Russia's Iranian-designed drones, moments before a blast wave sent dust pouring through the ventilation system into the carriage. No one in her compartment was hurt.

Metro services were suspended and public transport across the city ground to a halt. Road traffic was later allowed to resume.

Was The Bridge Badly Damaged?

Despite the dramatic explosion, city authorities said preliminary checks "did not find any critical damage to the structure", per the BBC. Full inspections are still likely to follow.

A School Was Hit Earlier In The Day

The bridge was not the first target on Thursday. At about 09:00 local time, a Russian drone hit the third floor of a school in the capital, partially collapsing a wall and a staircase.

More than 100 students were in the building, but they had already reached the shelter. Head teacher Valentyna Chorna said that because the shelter is strongly built, no children or staff were hurt, and lessons carried on.

Russia denies targeting civilians. Chorna said that to destroy Ukraine, "they need to destroy children", and President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia must be held fully accountable.

Why This Matters

The attacks come as Kyiv deals with a wider escalation:

• The city had just suffered its first coordinated strikes on its energy grid since the end of last winter, with power cuts returning after Wednesday's attacks.
• Ukrainian officials say a new jet-powered Russian drone went into operation on Wednesday. According to Zelensky's technology adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov, it carries a 40kg warhead and is designed to destroy high-voltage pylons and iron bridge structures.
• Ukrainian air force officials say at least 3,177 jet-powered drones were launched in September. Their speed has strained Ukraine's already stretched air defences.

The BBC reports that commentators believe Russia has stepped up its campaign because Ukraine is short of air defences.

What Happens Next

Kyiv has spent months building smaller-scale power plants to prepare for a winter campaign against its energy network. Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said a combined strike on this scale had not happened since the end of spring.

The key questions now are whether further bridge strikes follow, how quickly the metro and transport network can fully recover, and whether Ukraine's allies move to close the air defence gap before winter.

Sources:

• BBC News: Russia targets busy bridge in central Kyiv in broad daylight