Vitaliy Klitschko warns of severe damage from intensified Russian strikes in Kyiv

Vitaliy Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, warned on Friday that intensified Russian drone and missile strikes are “tearing Kyiv apart,” after a crisis meeting of the city’s defence council. The warning came hours after the Pivdennyi (Southern) bridge – a main artery across the Dnipro River – was hit for the fourth time in two days, prompting a suspension of all metro and automobile traffic on the structure and sparking city‑wide traffic chaos.

The surge in attacks follows a pattern of Russian retaliation to recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy facilities. Moscow claims it is responding to Ukrainian hits on oil refineries and Black Sea shipping, while Kyiv says Russia initiated the escalation. Since the full‑scale invasion began in February 2022, Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power grid, data centres and transport links, especially each winter, to cripple civilian life and pressure the government. The latest wave hits a city already strained by years of conflict and a population estimated at three million.

The bridge strikes have crippled movement between Kyiv’s western and eastern districts, forcing commuters onto two other bridges that now operate under strict restrictions. Internet outages have followed recent hits on data centres, further hampering communications. The state emergencies service reported one civilian death after a multi‑storey residential building was hit overnight. President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking to the Financial Times, said Putin has abandoned any “rules” in the war, aiming to destroy bridges, hospitals, schools and to force people to flee. Putin, speaking at the Valdai forum, insisted Russia’s attacks are a direct response to Ukrainian actions that have cost Russia about 1 % of its GDP.

Klitschko told the council that the city’s survival now depends on “the joint efforts of those who love it and care for it.” Kyiv’s officials plan to reinforce remaining bridges, restore critical services and bolster civil defence measures. International aid groups are monitoring the situation, warning that prolonged infrastructure damage could deepen the humanitarian crisis and push more residents into displacement. The coming days will test the capital’s resilience and the global community’s willingness to support Ukraine’s fight for survival.