Russian drone strikes Kyiv's Southern Bridge for fourth time in two days

A Russian drone struck Kyiv's Southern Bridge over the Dnipro River around 5:40 p.m. local time on Friday, marking the fourth attack on the structure within two days, according to the Kyiv Independent. The bridge remained closed to traffic from an earlier morning attack when the latest strike occurred, with black smoke visible rising from the site. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the bridge was still closed following the attack.

The strike coincided with the city's evening rush hour, intensifying traffic disruption in Kyiv's already congested streets. The Kyiv City Military Administration announced that three other major bridges across the Dnipro - the Darnytskyi Bridge, Metro Bridge and Podilskyi Bridge - have been switched to single-direction traffic to manage congestion.

Kostiantyn Kryvolap, an aviation expert and former Antonov test engineer, explained to the Kyiv Independent that destroying the bridge with the small explosive charges carried by such drones would be "practically impossible." He described the repeated strikes as "more like mosquito bites" in terms of structural damage, suggesting instead that Russia's strategy aims to halt traffic flow, interrupt logistics operations and apply psychological pressure on Kyiv's residents, rather than collapse the bridge.

The Southern Bridge serves as one of Kyiv's principal transport arteries, connecting major highways including the M-05 to Odesa, the M-06 to Chop and the M-03 to Kharkiv. Its strategic importance to the capital's transport network explains why it remains a significant target for disruption.