In brief
City officials report that Moscow’s barrage of strikes is leaving Kyiv’s critical infrastructure in disarray, with bridges, data centres and housing hit repeatedly. Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko describes the situation as dramatic, urging residents to stay united. The Pivdennyi bridge, a vital artery across the Dnipro, has been struck four times in two days, grounding traffic and straining the metro system. President Zelensky frames the Russian offensive as a campaign to cripple civilian life, while Putin defends it as retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy assets. The escalated assault signals a grim turn in the conflict.
Intensified Russian drone and missile strikes are being described by Kyiv’s mayor as “tearing the city apart”. Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko, speaking after a crisis meeting, said Moscow was battering critical infrastructure, logistics, housing and other key facilities, citing a sudden spike in attacks.
The new onslaught hit the city’s Pivdennyi (Southern) bridge overnight, a key artery across the Dnipro River that connects western and eastern Kyiv. It has now been struck for the fourth time in two days, causing all metro and automobile traffic across the bridge to be suspended. Restrictions are also in place on the Metro, Paton and Darnytskyi bridges.
The attack also damaged the city’s data centres, resulting in widespread internet outages that left many residents disconnected from essential services.
Klitschko summed the mood up: “We’re talking about survival.” He warned that Moscow’s aim is to sow panic, but pledged that Kyiv would prevail through the joint efforts of those who love and care for the city.
A single casualty was reported when a multi‑storey residential building was struck during the night.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the war had escalated into a campaign to destroy ordinary life, calling out Russian strikes on bridges, data centres, hospitals and schools. He accused Moscow of dropping attacks in retaliation for Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries.
In a televised interview, Putin insisted Russian attacks were a response to Ukrainian strikes on its energy infrastructure, noting that Kyiv’s refineries had inflicted a roughly 1% hit on Russia’s GDP. He said that every instant Russia was prepared to use any weapon to protect its interests.
