Russia is ramping up attacks on key bridges in Kyiv after four consecutive days of strikes on vital infrastructure in the Ukrainian capital.
The Pivnichnyi (Northern) Bridge was struck on Sunday morning for the second day in a row after a previous drone assault damaged the road surface and trolleybus wires, injuring two people.
HIMARS Strike Creative Commons Photo
U.S. Soldiers assigned to the Blackhawk Battery, 1st Battalion, 14th Field Artillery Regiment, 75th Field Artillery Brigade, fire an M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System during a night live fire training as part of Exercise Spring Storm 23 held at Camp Tapa, Estonia, May 25, 2023. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Agustín Montañez)
Russia has been increasingly attacking Kyiv’s bridges in recent days in a bid to disrupt everyday life in the country’s capital city.
Targeting Military Movements
Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed the attacks on the Pivnichnyi Bridge were due to its use to “facilitate troop movements and the logistics of military cargo deliveries” by Ukraine’s armed forces.
Over the weekend, Russian strikes on the Pivdennyi (Southern) Bridge forced closures of both road and metro traffic, causing severe congestion across Kyiv.
The following day, the Pivnichnyi Bridge was damaged, prompting further disruption.
Kyiv’s geography means it sits on both sides of the Dnipro River.
They are vital to millions of civilians, as well as the movement of supplies, emergency services and Ukraine’s armed forces.
Tearing Kyiv Apart
Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko warned that Russia’s intensified bombing campaign was “tearing Kyiv apart” following a crisis meeting on Friday, 2nd October.
Klitschko said the city was in a “very dramatic situation”, with Russia destroying its “critical infrastructure, logistics, housing” among other key facilities.
“We’re talking about survival,” the Kyiv Mayor warned at Friday’s defense meeting with security officials, adding that Moscow’s aim was to “sow panic” in the capital.
Zelensky Wades In
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also commented on the recent bridge attacks during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday, 4th October. Zelensky questioned the strategic objectives behind intensified strikes by Russia on civilian infrastructure while warning that his country’s aggressor was also at risk from Ukrainian drones.
“Honestly, I am not surprised by such an approach to war – hatred toward Ukraine from Russia,” said the Ukrainian President. “But I am surprised by this specific approach, because they struck our warehouses: Nova Poshta, Ukrposhta, and others.
They struck, and we gave them a worthy response against Wildberries.”
He continued: “Now they are striking bridges. Do they really think we will not respond? Does [Russian President Vladimir] Putin not realize that mobile communications are used not only in Kyiv, in Ukraine? They are used in Moscow as well.”
Zelensky expressed his surprise at Russia’s “beastly desire to escalate every day,” adding: “That is, he relies on continuous escalation; he wants this very much. This is an answer to all those who believe that one just needs to simply ask Putin and he will definitely end the war. It simply will not work.”
Escalations Once Again
Some optimism has emerged in recent weeks about a possible end to the conflict.
Last month, U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited both Moscow and Kyiv in Washington’s first intervention in nearly half a year.
Discussions have also focused on a possible trilateral meeting at the G20 Summit in Miami in December.
After a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced an invitation to President Putin.
“We think it’s an opportunity for him to engage not just with [U.S. President Donald Trump] but with other world leaders. We hope that’s an invitation he’ll accept,” Rubio said.
Putin is thought to be contemplating the invitation – one that would provide an opportunity for the Russian and Ukrainian leaders to meet face-to-face for the first time since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
However, the Kremlin has previously ruled out a G20 meeting, with spokesman Dimitri Peskov calling it “impossible” and adding that the Russian President would be willing to meet his Ukrainian counterpart in Moscow.
Within weeks, the conflict has escalated from one with a sliver of hope for a conclusion to one that, if anything, is escalating once again.
President Putin, buoyed by the recent State Duma election where his United Russia party won a majority of the vote, has shown little interest in exploring a conclusion to the conflict, and is believed to only be willing to meet his Ukrainian counterpart in Moscow – effectively ruling out any hope of a face-to-face discussion between the leaders of the two warring nations.
About the Author: Shay Bottomley
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist. He has written for the Western Standard, Business Insider, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo.
