Merz Came to Kyiv; the Sirens Were Already Sounding

There is a particular symbolism in the timing of a strike—a message sent not through diplomatic channels but through the explosion of a drone against a bridge, delivered on the very morning that a foreign leader arrives to offer support. On Sunday, as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz made an unannounced visit to Kyiv, Russian drones struck the Northern Bridge over the Dnipro River. The attack marked the fourth consecutive day that Russian forces had targeted bridges in the Ukrainian capital, an escalating campaign that has paralyzed traffic, disrupted daily life, and forced the city to prepare for the possibility that its main crossings could become unusable.

The strike on the Northern Bridge damaged the roadway and a heating main, temporarily cutting hot water to parts of the Desnianskyi district. Two people were injured, one hospitalized and one treated at the scene. The bridge connects the right and left banks of the Dnipro, carrying tens of thousands of residents across the river each day. It was the second bridge to be hit over the weekend; the Southern Bridge had been struck repeatedly in the days prior, damaging its road surface, a support, and the protective concrete structure around the metro line.

The attacks have created what Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko described as a "difficult situation" for the capital's transportation network. The Southern Bridge was closed in both directions. Traffic on the Metro Bridge was limited to one lane. The Paton Bridge was restricted. Some residents resorted to crossing the bridges on foot as traffic congestion worsened. Ukrainian officials announced plans to construct pontoon crossings across the Dnipro, a process that could take up to three months. The Kyiv City Military Administration also imposed new restrictions on movement across bridges during air raid alerts.

Aviation expert Kostiantyn Kryvolap told the Kyiv Independent that destroying the bridges is likely not the primary objective of the strikes. "Destroying a bridge with a 50-kilogram explosive charge, even with a highly effective warhead designed to destroy steel bridge structures, is a major exaggeration. It is practically impossible," he said. "For a bridge like this, these strikes are more like mosquito bites." Instead, he suggested, the strikes are intended to disrupt traffic and logistics and to exert psychological pressure on the population.

Merz's visit was meant to underscore Germany's support for Ukraine at a moment when Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities are intensifying. In a written statement, he said he traveled to Kyiv "because Ukraine needs all our support in the coming weeks. If Russia is not stopped, its war machine will sooner or later turn against us." He was accompanied by his economy minister and executives from German companies including Siemens Energy and Diehl Defence. Germany is expected to announce a $1.1 billion military aid package and $394 million for energy sector repairs.

The visit came a day after Russia's Ministry of Defence warned foreign diplomats and nationals to leave Kyiv to avoid getting hurt—a warning that Merz's presence effectively disregarded. President Volodymyr Zelensky told Merz that Kyiv's citizens are enduring "terrible nights and days" due to the ongoing attacks. This week alone, Russia has used more than 1,900 attack drones, 1,700 aerial bombs, and 25 missiles against Ukraine, according to Zelensky. The strikes on the bridges are part of a broader campaign against infrastructure in the capital, one that has left Kyiv's residents bracing for a winter with damaged heating systems, disrupted transport, and the constant sound of air raid sirens.

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Sources: Al Jazeera, The Kyiv Independent, Yle, NOS, Realitatea.NET