Kyiv bridge closure sparks traffic chaos after Russian strikes

According to the Kyiv City Military Administration, some public buses have been rerouted via the Darnytskyi Bridge. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated that movement on the Metro Bridge is limited to one lane from the eastern bank toward the western bank, while traffic on the Paton Bridge is fully restricted from the western bank toward the eastern bank.

Social media footage showed some Kyiv residents crossing the Dnipro River bridges on foot due to heavy traffic congestion. The Southern Bridge was struck multiple times, with damage reported to its road surface, a bridge support, a guardrail, and a protective concrete structure around the metro line. Klitschko reported that Russian drones struck near the bridge's supports around 11:30 a.m. on October 1, while cars and a metro train were crossing. Although traffic was temporarily halted, a preliminary inspection found no critical structural damage, and the bridge was reopened.

However, the bridge was hit again overnight on October 2, causing further damage. Emergency crews were dispatched, and the metro tracks were de-energized. Traffic, including metro and surface public transport, was subsequently suspended. An overnight Russian attack on Kyiv resulted in one fatality and two injuries, according to local authorities.