Kyiv Under Attack
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Early Saturday, a Russian strike targeted Kyiv’s Northern Bridge, leading to traffic disruptions for the third consecutive day as Moscow continues its efforts to unsettle life in the Ukrainian capital.
This assault came just a day after Russian attacks led to the full or partial closure of three out of six road bridges spanning the Dnipro River in Kyiv. Previously, Russia has focused on apartment buildings, supermarket warehouses, gas stations, and data centers among various other targets, marking a concerning increase in assaults.
Russia has maintained its military activities against Ukraine since its invasion over four and a half years ago, and signs of a potential peace agreement remain elusive. The fighting along the extensive 1,250-kilometer (780-mile) front line in northern, eastern, and southern Ukraine appears to be at a stalemate in recent months.
Kyiv’s Mayor, Vitalii Klitschko, reported that the strike damaged both the road surface and trolleybus cables, necessitating a suspension of traffic on the bridge. Fortunately, there have been no reported casualties.
On Saturday, Russia’s Defense Ministry acknowledged responsibility for the strike, asserting that the bridge facilitates troop movements and military supply logistics for Ukraine.
Social media saw the circulation of videos showing the moment of impact, capturing vehicles on the bridge, with some footage claiming to have been recorded by a dashcam.
As the aerial conflict escalates, Kyiv has targeted Russian oil operations and businesses, while Moscow continues to threaten Ukrainian cities using hard-to-detect ballistic missiles and drones.
In related developments, Moldovan President Maia Sandu expressed concerns on Saturday regarding the war’s proximity to her country, following a series of airspace violations.
“I condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine this morning. Its war is dangerously reaching Moldova,” she mentioned in a post on X. She also reported five instances of “Russian air attack weapons, including Banderol missiles and drones, that violated our airspace and detonated on our territory.”
“Moscow is endangering lives all across Europe and must be stopped,” she added emphatically.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air force confirmed that overnight, Moscow fired Banderol cruise missiles – low-cost, jet-powered munitions intended to overrun Ukrainian air defenses – at the Odesa region, which borders Moldova. These munitions are designed to hover over targets, searching for opportunities to strike.
In a separate incident, Ukrainian drones reportedly hit the western Russian city of Kaluga overnight, causing injuries and damage to apartment buildings, according to regional Governor Vladislav Shapsha. He mentioned that 13 drones were shot down over the area during that same night, though specific numbers of injuries were not immediately provided.
