Russian Drones Strike Kyiv Bridges for Fourth Straight Day as German Chancellor Merz Makes Surprise Wartime Visit

Russian drone strikes have damaged major bridges in Kyiv for a fourth consecutive day, as Moscow intensifies its campaign against critical infrastructure in the Ukrainian capital, according to officials and verified footage.

Two people were injured on Sunday morning when the Pivnichnyi, or Northern, Bridge was struck for the second day in a row, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. The Pivdennyi, or Southern, Bridge had already been hit multiple times earlier in the week, marking a sustained assault on the city's river crossings.

The latest attack unfolded as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit, underscoring Berlin's backing for Ukraine as it continues to resist Russia's full-scale invasion, which began in February 2022 and has now entered its fifth year.

Video verified by the BBC shows vehicles moving across the Pivnichnyi Bridge on Sunday when a drone plunges into the structure and detonates, producing a fireball. A column of black smoke rises above the span. Other footage and photographs circulating on social media reveal a large hole punched through the middle of a traffic lane.

Russia's defence ministry said it would step up strikes on Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine. It had previously claimed responsibility for hitting both bridges, describing them as routes used to move Ukrainian troops and equipment.

The attacks have placed enormous strain on a capital whose geography makes river crossings essential. Kyiv's eight bridges span the wide Dnipro River, connecting the western right bank with the eastern left bank. Many of the capital's roughly three million residents depend on metro lines and trains to move between the two halves of the city, and an estimated 500,000 vehicles use the bridges daily.

Both struck structures remain standing, but the damage and resulting restrictions on road traffic and public transport have at times caused severe gridlock. "To get from the left bank to the right one and back – it's just hell," Kyiv resident Roman told the BBC on Sunday, capturing the frustration of commuters whose daily routines have been upended.

The disruption is felt most acutely on weekdays, when large numbers of people cross the river for work. Repair crews are working to patch the damage, while officials say they are exploring temporary alternatives, including pontoon bridges, ferry services and even a tunnel beneath the river, to keep the city connected.

Klitschko also reported that a separate drone strike had damaged a heating main, which he said would leave the north-eastern Desnyanskyi district without hot water for a time. The damage points to a broader Russian strategy aimed at undermining civilian life as winter approaches, when reliable heating becomes critical.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday morning that Russian drones had attacked a warehouse in the north-eastern Sumy region, killing one person. In the central city of Dnipro, six people were wounded when a communications facility was struck, he added. The incidents illustrate that the strikes extend well beyond the capital.

Ukraine's Air Force reported that Russia launched 135 drones overnight, including 52 jet-powered models, and that 125 of the projectiles were shot down. The figures offer a sense of the scale of the overnight barrage and the pressure on Ukrainian air defences, which rely heavily on Western-supplied systems to intercept incoming threats.

Merz's visit carried heavy symbolic weight. He and Zelensky laid wreaths honouring Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war, and the German chancellor reaffirmed his country's support in a post on X. "Ukraine is facing decisive weeks. That is why I travelled to Kyiv today with the message: You can rely on us," he wrote. "Germany's security also depends on the outcome of this war. That is why we are helping out of our own self-interest as well."

Zelensky later announced that a new aid package worth more than €1.3bn, equivalent to about £1.1bn or $1.5bn, had been agreed with Germany. "These are weapons that will help [us] right now, as well as support for our energy sector ahead of winter," he said, linking military assistance directly to the coming cold months.

During the visit, the two leaders toured the main building of Ukraine's National Academy of Sciences, which was badly damaged in a Russian drone strike earlier in the week. That attack killed two people. As Merz surveyed the destruction, fresh air-raid sirens sounded across the city, a stark reminder that the threat persisted even during a high-profile diplomatic mission.

Since becoming chancellor in May 2025, Merz has positioned Germany as the single largest donor to Ukraine. He said the country "needs all our support in the coming weeks," warning that "if Russia is not stopped, its war machine will sooner or later turn against us." Zelensky said the talks would yield "important agreements" between Kyiv and Berlin.

The Ukrainian president has repeatedly urged Western allies to supply more military support, including advanced air-defence systems capable of countering Russia's expanding drone arsenal. Sunday's strikes and the ongoing damage to Kyiv's bridges are likely to reinforce those appeals, as officials confront the twin challenges of repairing vital infrastructure and defending it from further attack.