Russian drone strike hits second Kyiv bridge in days
Kyiv’s Northern Bridge Struck Again as Russia Escalates Drone Assaults, Killing One and Wounding Six in Overnight Attacks
Source: BBC News YouTube · October 4, 2026 at 5:19 PM · AI-assisted report
Single-sourceBERLIN, 5 OCTOBER 2026 —
Kyiv’s Northern Bridge Struck Again as Russia Escalates Drone Assaults, Killing One and Wounding Six in Overnight Attacks
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Russian drone strikes on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv have intensified over the past four days, with the Northern Bridge—already hit twice in the last week—targeted again on Sunday as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived amid air raid sirens and explosions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed at least one civilian death and six injuries in overnight attacks across multiple regions, marking a sharp escalation in Moscow’s campaign to cripple Kyiv’s infrastructure and disrupt daily life.
The strikes underscore Russia’s widening offensive, which has now extended beyond military targets to residential areas, medical facilities, and critical energy infrastructure. With Zelenskyy and Merz finalizing defense agreements—including €1 billion in military aid and €350 million for energy repairs—Ukraine’s ability to withstand the assault hinges on sustained Western support.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its forces struck Ukrainian port logistics and military supply routes, while Moldovan President Maia Sandu warned that Moscow’s aggression is now threatening neighboring states.
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Zelenskyy’s address on Sunday detailed a relentless barrage: Russia launched 135 attack drones—more than 50 of them jet-powered—targeting Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia. The assaults caused power outages in some communities and disrupted services at impact sites, he said. Over the past week alone, Russia has deployed 1,900 attack drones, 1,700 aerial bombs, and 25 missiles, with 800 jet-powered drones alone overwhelming Ukrainian defenses.
"Russia must be held accountable for this escalation," Zelenskyy stated, emphasizing the need for collective action to counter Moscow’s aggression.
The Northern Bridge strike—confirmed by Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko—damaged the road surface and trolleybus cables, halting traffic for a third consecutive day. Two people were injured, one hospitalized, as footage from dashcams captured the moment of impact.
Russia’s Defense Ministry justified the attack, claiming the bridge facilitates "troop movements and logistics for military cargo deliveries." Earlier this week, Kyiv’s Southern Bridge—critical for subway and ground transport—was struck five times in under 24 hours, prompting Ukraine to accelerate plans for alternative crossings over the Dnipro River to prevent the city from being split in two.
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Merz’s visit to Kyiv, his first since Russia’s intensified strikes, came as Germany pledged deeper military and industrial cooperation. The Chancellor arrived as air defense systems activated, with explosions heard across the city.
"Ukraine needs all our support in the coming weeks," Merz declared, warning that "if Russia is not stopped, sooner or later its war machine will turn against us." Zelenskyy welcomed the German delegation, stating that "important agreements" would be signed to enhance Ukraine’s defense capabilities, including drone and missile production. German officials confirmed Berlin would release €1 billion in military aid and €350 million for energy infrastructure repairs, reinforcing Kyiv’s frontline resilience.
Russia’s Defense Ministry countered by claiming its forces had struck Ukrainian port infrastructure and maritime vessels supplying troops. A dry-cargo vessel carrying military equipment was hit by a drone east of Odesa, while airstrikes targeted UAV command posts and temporary Ukrainian deployment sites in Donetsk and Sumy. The ministry also reported intercepting or destroying 559 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones over Russian regions, Crimea, and the Black and Azov Seas, signaling a two-front drone war.
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The escalation has spilled beyond Ukraine’s borders, with Moldovan President Maia Sandu condemning Russia’s attacks as "dangerously reaching" her country. On Saturday, five Russian air attack weapons, including Banderol missiles and drones, violated Moldovan airspace, exploding on its soil. "Moscow is putting lives at risk across Europe and must be stopped," Sandu stated.
Ukraine’s air force confirmed that Russia had launched Banderol cruise missiles—low-cost, jet-powered loitering munitions—at Odesa, a region sharing a long border with Moldova. These weapons hover over targets before detonating, overwhelming Ukrainian air defenses.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones struck the Russian city of Kaluga, damaging apartment buildings and injuring residents, according to regional reports. The exchanges highlight a deadlocked frontline stretching 1,250 kilometers across northern, eastern, and southern Ukraine, with no signs of a peace settlement despite Russia’s invasion over four and a half years ago. Kyiv’s infrastructure—already strained by previous strikes on apartment blocks, supermarkets, gas stations, and data centers—now faces a coordinated effort to sever the capital’s connectivity.
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The immediate focus remains on Kyiv’s bridges, with Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov announcing plans to construct alternative crossings over the Dnipro to mitigate the impact of continued attacks. The city’s resilience, however, depends on sustaining Western military and financial backing, as Zelenskyy and Merz prepare to formalize defense partnerships.
With Russia’s drone arsenal expanding and its strikes spreading to neighboring states, the coming weeks will determine whether Europe’s support can offset Moscow’s escalation—or if the war’s reach will extend further.