A Russian attack damaged Kyiv’s Northern Bridge on Saturday morning, October 3, disrupting another major crossing over the Dnipro River after two days of strikes on the capital’s bridges. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the attack damaged the road surface and the electrical network used by trolleybuses.

Traffic from the left bank towards the right bank was blocked. The bridge connects districts on opposite sides of the river, making it an important route between the eastern and western parts of Kyiv.

Emergency response and traffic restrictions

Kyiv authorities reported a drone threat at 6:32 a.m. local time and a hit on the Northern Bridge at 6:57 a.m. By 7:39 a.m., officials had announced the closure of traffic towards the right bank. The reports did not establish which weapon struck the crossing.

Klitschko said emergency services had been sent to the site. Reuters and the Associated Press reported no injuries from the Northern Bridge strike.

City authorities were assessing and repairing the damage while adjusting public transport services around the affected crossing. The reported damage was to the roadway and trolleybus contact network; the bridge was not reported destroyed.

Earlier strikes disrupt other crossings

The attack followed repeated strikes on the Southern Bridge on Thursday and Friday. Kyiv authorities closed that crossing to road and metro traffic on Friday, adding to restrictions on routes between the two sides of the city.

City authorities also imposed temporary restrictions on the Darnytskyi, Metro and Podilskyi crossings during air alerts. The successive closures and limits on traffic contributed to substantial congestion across the capital.

SITA reported long queues of cars and buses on major roads as passengers sought alternative routes, with some continuing their journeys on foot.

Kyiv’s Defence Council met on Friday to discuss maintaining transport links during the attacks. Specialists and scientific institutes were examining the Southern Bridge before decisions on its operation and metro services.

Russia cites military logistics

Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed hitting the Northern Bridge and said it had been used to transport troops and support military logistics. That account of the bridge’s use was not independently verified.

The restrictions also affected civilian journeys across the Dnipro, with road closures and disrupted public transport limiting travel between Kyiv’s two banks.