Russia Sends Drones, Germany Sends Chancellor, Kyiv Gets Double Surprise

Major bridges across Kyiv have come under repeated Russian drone attacks for four consecutive day, putting further pressure on the Ukrainian capital transport network as Moscow says it will intensify strikes on critical infrastructure. Two people were injured on Sunday after the Pivnichnyi (Northern) Bridge was struck for the second consecutive day. The Pivdennyi (Southern) Bridge had also been targeted several times earlier in the week. The latest attack coincided with a surprise visit to Kyiv by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who travelled to Ukraine to reaffirm Germany support as the war with Russia continues. Kyiv vital bridges under attack Video footage verified by the BBC showed vehicles travelling across the Pivnichnyi Bridge when a drone crashed onto the roadway and exploded, sending a fireball and thick black smoke into the air. Images from the scene showed a large hole in one of the bridge traffic lanes following the strike. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that two people were injured and said the road way had been damaged. The attacks have raised concerns over Kyiv ability to maintain normal transport between the two sides of the Dnipro River. The capital has eight bridges connecting its western and eastern districts, with hundreds of thousands of vehicles using them every day. Although the two targeted bridges remain standing, restrictions and damage have already caused significant traffic disruption. To get from the left bank to the right one and back it's just hell, Kyiv resident Roman told the BBC. Authorities are considering temporary measures, including pontoon bridges and ferry services, while longer-term plans could include a tunnel beneath the river. Wider Russian drone attacks reported The bridge strikes were part of a wider wave of Russian drone attacks across Ukraine. Ukraine Air Force said Russia launched 135 drones overnight, including 52 jet powered drones, while claiming that 125 were shot down. Klitschko also reported damage to a heating main in Kyiv Desnyanskyi district, which was expected to cause a temporary interruption to hot water supplies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian drones also struck a warehouse in the Sumy region, killing one person. In Dnipro, six people were reportedly injured after a communications facility was hit. Merz arrives in Kyiv amid air raid alerts As emergency crew dealt with the latest attacks, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met Zelensky in Kyiv. The two leader laid wreaths at a memorial for Ukrainian soldiers killed during the war and visited Ukraine National Academy of Science, whose main building was badly damaged in an earlier Russian drone attack. Merz said Ukraine was entering a decisive period and stressed that Germany would continue supporting Kyiv. You can rely on us, Merz wrote on X, adding that Germany own security depended on the out come of the war. Zelensky later announced that Ukraine and Germany had agreed on a new aid package worth more than €1.3bn, including weapons and assistance for the country energy sector ahead of winter. Russia vows to intensify strikes Russia defence ministry said it would increase strikes across Ukraine, describing them as a response to Zelensky comments about expanding Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries. Moscow has also accused Ukraine of targeting Russian energy infrastructure, while Ukraine and its allies continue to point to Russia sustained attacks on Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure. The Kremlin launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia currently controls around 20% of Ukrainian territory. Meanwhile, Russia foreign ministry repeated a warning for foreign citizens, including diplomats, to leave Kyiv. The European Union ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova, rejected the warning, saying the EU delegation would remain in Kyiv. Germany ambassador, Boris Ruge, also indicated that German diplomats would stay. Bridges unlikely to collapse, but repeated strikes pose risks Experts cited in the report said Russian drones were unlikely to immediately bring down Kyiv major bridge. However, repeated attacks could force closures, disrupt transport and potentially weaken bridge structures over time. For Kyiv residents, the immediate concern is less about a complete collapse and more about whether the city's already heavily used transport network can continue functioning under sustained attacks. With Russia threatening further strikes and Germany pledging additional support, Kyiv is facing another difficult period in the war with its infrastructure, transport links and civilian services increasingly caught in the middle.