Russia attacked a key bridge in Kyiv that connects both sides of the Dnipro River on Saturday night. This attack comes as Moscow has increased its airstrikes against Ukraine.
Traffic shutdown and emergency response
Traffic on the northern bridge of the capital has been halted and emergency services have been dispatched to the scene. Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, announced that the attack has damaged the road and tram cables on this bridge. Approximately ٥٠٠,٠٠٠ people cross from the left bank of the Dnipro to the right bank daily, and this bridge is one of eight connecting both sides.
Sequential attacks and their impacts
This attack follows several similar attacks on the southern bridge of Kyiv in recent days, leading to a temporary suspension of vehicle traffic and heavy congestion. The Russian Ministry of Defense has confirmed that it carried out this attack and claimed that the bridge was being used for military cargo. Additionally, the ministry separately announced that it also attacked a key logistics center in Holostomel and a cargo ship in the Black Sea near the southern port of Odessa.
Status of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
Furthermore, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) affiliated with the United Nations has reported that four attacks in recent days have threatened the security of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. These attacks have particularly damaged the radiation monitoring station outside the site.
In recent weeks, Moscow has intensified its bombardments against Ukraine's civilian and critical infrastructure, targeting residential areas, energy facilities, ports, and data centers. Last week, Russia fired over ١٩٠ missiles and drones at energy infrastructure.
Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, has instructed his forces to disregard the rules of war. Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, announced this in an interview.
On the other hand, Ukraine is grappling with a significant financial shortfall and a shortage of vital weapons. Serhiy Korotky, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, has stated that the country is facing a $٢٧ billion budget deficit in defense this year, and Kyiv hopes to raise about $٧ billion domestically and turn to its partners for the rest.
