Russia launched drone attacks on Kyiv on Thursday, hitting a major bridge and a school, disrupting public transport and signaling an escalation in Moscow's campaign. While authorities reported no critical damage to the bridge's structure, the strikes serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing conflict's impact on civilian life in the Ukrainian capital.
The drone attacks on civilian infrastructure, including a major bridge and a school, highlight the ongoing risks to life and public services in Kyiv and signal a potential escalation in Russia's targeting strategy, impacting daily life and the resilience of Ukrainian cities.
Russia launched a series of drone attacks on Kyiv on Thursday, hitting a major bridge and a school, in what appears to be an escalation of Moscow's campaign against the Ukrainian capital. The Pivdennyi or Southern bridge, a key artery across the Dnipro river, was struck by two drones, one hitting the base of a central stanchion. Passengers on a metro train traveling across the bridge reported dust entering their carriage from the blast wave. While city authorities stated preliminary checks found no critical damage to the structure, the attack halted public transport and served as a stark reminder of the ongoing conflict.
Earlier on Thursday, a Russian drone slammed into the third floor of a school at approximately 09:00 local time. Over 100 students were present at the time but had evacuated to a shelter, with the head teacher reporting no injuries. The attack also caused a partial collapse of one of the school's walls.
These strikes follow recent coordinated attacks on Kyiv's energy grid, which led to power cuts. Commentators suggest Russia is intensifying its campaign due to Ukraine's perceived shortage of air defenses. Ukrainian officials noted the use of a new design of jet-powered drones, which have a 40kg warhead and are designed to target infrastructure like bridges and electricity pylons. Ukrainian air force officials reported at least 3,177 such drones were launched in September, posing challenges to the country's air defense systems.
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