OMM Redaksiyası
Two Russian drones struck one of Kyiv’s main bridges on Thursday, bringing metro services to a halt and marking a new development in Moscow’s attacks on the Ukrainian capital, Reuters reported.
The Pivdennyi, or Southern, bridge was hit while a metro train was crossing the Dnipro River. Passengers said dust from a blast wave entered their carriage through the ventilation system.
The bridge is a major route linking the western and eastern sides of Kyiv. Although one drone struck near the base of a central support, city authorities said preliminary checks had found no critical damage to the structure.
School hit in morning strike
Earlier on Thursday, a Russian drone hit the third floor of a school at about 09:00 local time. More than 100 students were at the school, but they had reached a shelter before the impact. Part of a wall collapsed.
“The structure of the shelter is strong, so none of the children were hurt, nor were any staff,” head teacher Valentyna Chorna said. “They just kept on with their lessons.”
Russia denies targeting civilians. Chorna said that to destroy her country, “they need to destroy children”. President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia must be held fully accountable.
Metro services suspended after bridge attack
Ukrainian 5 Kanal reporter Mariana Mykytenko said a passenger on her metro train shouted “Shahed” — the name associated with Iranian-designed drones used by Russia — before an explosion sent dust into the carriage.
No one in her compartment was injured, she said. The train carried passengers to Vydubychi station on the western, or right-bank, side of the Dnipro and then stopped. Metro services were suspended, while road traffic later resumed.
It was not immediately clear what type of drone was used in the bridge attack. Ukrainian officials said a new model of Russian jet-powered drone had been used for the first time on Wednesday.
Zelensky’s technology adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov, known as Flash, said the drone carried a 40kg warhead and was designed to destroy high-voltage electricity pylons and iron bridge structures.
Attacks add to pressure on Kyiv’s energy system
Ukrainian Air Force officials said Russia launched at least 3,177 jet-powered drones during September. Their speed has created difficulties for Ukraine’s air defences.
The strikes followed attacks on Kyiv’s energy grid, the first coordinated campaign against it since the end of last winter. Power cuts returned to the capital on Wednesday. Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said an attack of that scale had not occurred since the end of spring.
Kyiv’s Institute of Nuclear Research was also attacked by a drone on Wednesday night. Earlier in the week, one person was killed when a drone targeted the National Academy of Sciences.
