Russian drones have struck Kyiv bridges over the Dnipro River on four consecutive days, hitting the Ukrainian capital’s Northern Bridge twice. Three of the city’s six road bridges were fully or partially closed as of 4 October 2026, the Associated Press reported from Kyiv. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said two people were injured on Sunday.
The strikes are the first time Russia has targeted Kyiv’s Dnipro crossings since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, according to the Russian-language outlet Meduza. The river splits the capital in two, so the bridges carry most daily movement between the left and right banks.
Which Kyiv Bridges Are Affected
As of 5 October 2026, two bridges have been struck directly and two more are under traffic restrictions, on the accounts of Klitschko, the Kyiv City State Administration and the Kyiv Post.
| Crossing | What happened | Reported status |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Bridge (Pivdennyi) | Hit by drones on 1 and 2 October; damage to a bridge support, a guardrail, the road surface and a concrete barrier beside the metro tracks | Closed to cars and metro trains |
| Northern Bridge (Pivnichnyi) | Hit on 3 October by a jet-powered drone, damaging asphalt and severing trolleybus contact wires; hit again on 4 October, cratering the roadway and damaging a heating main | Vehicle traffic suspended, then partially restored |
| Paton Bridge | Not struck; absorbing diverted traffic | Severe restrictions |
| Metro Bridge | Not struck; absorbing diverted traffic | Severe restrictions |
| Podilskyi Bridge | Not struck; used for bus diversions | Open |
Kyiv has six road bridges over the Dnipro, the Associated Press reported. Meduza put the total number of bridges of all kinds across the river in the city at nine, a count that includes rail and pedestrian crossings.
What Happened on Each of the Four Days
The sequence ran from Thursday 1 October to Sunday 4 October 2026, all times local to Kyiv.
- 1 and 2 October: Drones struck the Southern Bridge, damaging a support, a guardrail, the road surface and a concrete barrier along the metro tracks. The bridge closed to both cars and metro trains.
- Friday 2 October: Three of the six road bridges were fully or partially closed, and queues built across the city.
- Saturday 3 October: A jet-powered drone hit the Northern Bridge. Two people were injured. Asphalt was damaged and the overhead wires powering trolleybuses were severed. Klitschko said the strike had “damaged the road surface and trolleybus cables, forcing traffic to be suspended”.
- Sunday 4 October: A drone struck the Northern Bridge roadway again in the early morning, with video showing the explosion as vehicles were crossing. Two people were injured, one taken to hospital and one treated at the scene, Klitschko said. A damaged heating main temporarily cut hot water to parts of the Desnianskyi district.
The Saturday strike came on a day of wider attacks. At least six people were killed across Ukraine, the Associated Press reported: five in Kharkiv and nearby areas, where more than 40 were wounded, according to regional head Oleh Syniehubov, and one sailor on a civilian cargo ship in the Odesa region.
What Is Still Running Across the River
Public transport has been rerouted rather than stopped. The Kyiv City State Administration said on 4 October that bus routes 21, 73, 101 and 114 had resumed and were “operating according to their regular routes, with delays”.
During the 3 October closure, the Kyiv Post reported that buses 21, 73 and 101 were sent across the Podilskyi Bridge towards Poshtova Ploshcha metro station and European Square, and that trolleybus lines 29, 30, 31 and 47 were disrupted along with those bus routes. The Kyiv Independent reported that the city was preparing pontoon crossings and had introduced new movement restrictions during air raids. Our earlier report on the Kyiv data centre attack covered an earlier strike in the same campaign against the capital’s infrastructure.
One widely quoted figure should be treated with care. Meduza cited an economic analyst estimating that about 500,000 people travel from the left bank to the right bank each day. That estimate appears in a single outlet and has not been confirmed by the city.
What Is Agreed, What Is Claimed and What Is Disputed
The physical facts of the strikes are not in dispute; the reasons for them are.
- Agreed: drones hit the Southern and Northern bridges on the dates above; four people were injured across the two Northern Bridge strikes; road surfaces, trolleybus wires and a heating main were damaged. Klitschko, the Kyiv City State Administration and Russia’s defence ministry all confirm that the bridges were struck.
- Claimed by Russia: the defence ministry said it hit the Northern Bridge because the crossing is used to “facilitate troop movements and the logistics of military cargo deliveries” for Ukraine’s armed forces. Ukrainian officials have not accepted that characterisation of a civilian city bridge, and the claim has not been independently verified.
- Claimed by Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that intercepted communications from September showed President Vladimir Putin ordered commanders to disregard the rules of warfare in the air campaign, as reported by Meduza. The intercepts have not been published.
- Disputed in the numbers: Zelenskyy said on 4 October 2026 that Russia had used “more than 1,900 attack drones, 1,700 aerial bombs, and 25 missiles” against Ukraine that week, of which “more than 800 of the drones were jet-powered”. The Associated Press reported him citing about 900 jet-powered drones, with Ukraine intercepting roughly half. The two accounts of the same week do not match, and neither figure has been independently confirmed.
On whether the bridges can actually be brought down, Ukrainian specialists are sceptical. The aviation expert Kostiantyn Kryvolap told the Kyiv Independent that destroying such a bridge with roughly 50-kilogram warheads is “practically impossible”, and that the strikes are better read as attempts to disrupt movement and apply pressure. Meduza quoted Ukrainian experts making the same point, while noting that repeated hits could still make a crossing unsafe to use.
What Germany Pledged on the Same Day
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv unannounced on Sunday 4 October 2026, his second visit as chancellor, and the Northern Bridge was struck while he was in the city. He announced a package worth more than 1.3 billion euros, about 1.5 billion US dollars.
- Military aid: about 1 billion euros, roughly 1.1 billion dollars, including long-range strike weapons, combat drones and satellite technology. Merz said it was provided “so that Ukraine can also target Russian launch pads”.
- Energy aid: about 350 million euros, roughly 395 million dollars, for generators, substations and repair work before winter.
- Joint production: Germany will fund joint production of drones designed to intercept Russia’s jet-powered drones.
Zelenskyy said 15 agreements and documents worth more than 8.5 billion euros, about 9.6 billion dollars, were signed during the visit, covering security cooperation and weapons production. Of the German package he said: “This is weaponry that will help right now.” Merz said he had travelled to Kyiv because “Ukraine needs all our support in the coming weeks”, and that “if Russia is not stopped, its war machine will sooner or later turn against us”.
Russia’s defence ministry said it would intensify strikes on military-industrial facilities, after Zelenskyy indicated Ukraine would step up attacks on Russian oil refineries.
What Happens Next
Nothing published so far sets a date for full repairs to either bridge. The city has not said how long the Southern Bridge will stay shut to cars and metro trains, nor whether the Northern Bridge will take unrestricted traffic again. The pontoon crossings the Kyiv Independent reported being prepared have no announced opening date or capacity.
Separately, Zelenskyy said the United States wants to hold trilateral talks with Russia by the end of October 2026, according to France 24’s live coverage on 4 October. No date, venue or agenda has been confirmed by any of the three governments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Kyiv Bridges Have Been Hit?
The Southern Bridge was struck on 1 and 2 October 2026 and the Northern Bridge on 3 and 4 October 2026. The Paton and Metro bridges were not struck but are under severe traffic restrictions as diverted traffic moves across them.
How Many Kyiv Bridges Are Closed?
Three of Kyiv’s six road bridges over the Dnipro were fully or partially closed as of 4 October 2026, according to the Associated Press. The city has not published a single official status list.
Why Is Russia Striking Kyiv’s Bridges?
Russia’s defence ministry says the Northern Bridge is used for troop movements and military logistics. Ukrainian officials dispute that, and Ukrainian military experts say drone warheads of around 50 kilograms cannot destroy such a bridge, suggesting the aim is disruption rather than demolition.
Was Anyone Killed in the Kyiv Bridge Strikes?
No deaths have been reported from the bridge strikes themselves. Two people were injured on 3 October 2026 and two more on 4 October 2026, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko. At least six people were killed in Russian attacks elsewhere in Ukraine on 3 October, the Associated Press reported.
Are Buses and Trolleybuses Still Crossing the Dnipro in Kyiv?
Yes, with disruption. The Kyiv City State Administration said on 4 October 2026 that bus routes 21, 73, 101 and 114 had resumed on their regular routes with delays. Trolleybus lines 29, 30, 31 and 47 were disrupted by the severing of overhead wires on the Northern Bridge.
What Did Germany Give Ukraine on 4 October 2026?
Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced more than 1.3 billion euros, about 1.5 billion US dollars, split between roughly 1 billion euros of military aid and about 350 million euros of energy aid before winter. Zelenskyy said 15 agreements worth more than 8.5 billion euros were signed during the visit.
