Russian air strikes targeted the southern bridge in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Friday, alongside strikes on a cargo ship in the Black Sea and facilities at the port of Izmail and in Kyiv Region, according to Russian and Ukrainian statements, while Ukrainian forces said they had carried out attacks on drone-control centres and Russian troop-concentration sites.
Major bridges closed in Kyiv
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram that Russian air strikes had again targeted the southern bridge in the capital. Kyiv authorities, citing police, announced that the bridge had been closed to vehicle traffic in both directions after being hit by Russian drones.
Traffic was also restricted to one lane on the Metro Bridge, from the left bank to the right bank, while vehicle traffic was closed on Paton Bridge in the direction from the right bank to the left bank. Russia’s Defence Ministry said in a statement that its forces had targeted a bridge in Kyiv used by cars and trains to cross the Dnipro River.
Russia says it targeted ship and facilities
The ministry said the bridge was used to provide logistical support for military shipments bound for Ukrainian military formations in the Donbas region. It said Russian forces had targeted a cargo ship in the Black Sea overnight, claiming it was carrying military equipment to the port of Odesa for Ukrainian forces.
It added that the strikes had also hit an industrial and production complex at the port of Izmail, which it said was used to sort and distribute military shipments and fuel for the Ukrainian army. According to the Russian statement, a substation in Kyiv Region was also targeted overnight; the ministry said it supplied facilities belonging to the region’s military-industrial complex.
Ukraine announces toll from air attack
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia had launched 108 drones overnight, including 47 jet-powered drones. It said 88 drones had been shot down or neutralised, while direct hits were recorded at 11 sites and debris fell at five others. It added that the attack was still under way on Friday morning.
Ukraine’s General Staff said Russian forces had carried out 95 air strikes over the previous day, dropping 284 guided bombs and using 8,891 attack drones. It added that the bombardment had hit towns in Sumy and Chernihiv regions.
According to the Ukrainian side, Russian attacks extended to the city of Kherson and towns in the region, as well as three areas in Dnipropetrovsk, and also hit Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv and 13 towns. In turn, Ukraine’s General Staff said its forces had struck three drone-control centres and five Russian troop-concentration sites, along with another target whose nature it did not specify.
As part of the political activity, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had met ambassadors of European Union countries to Ukraine and discussed strengthening air-defence capabilities, joint military production, maintaining financial stability, his country’s path to joining the European Union, and tightening sanctions imposed on Russia. He said Kyiv would hold further coordination meetings on foreign policy.
