Russia Strikes Second Major Kyiv Bridge and Warns Foreign Diplomats

Russian forces struck a second major bridge across the Dnipro River in Kyiv, according to reports from The New York Times, the BBC, and France 24. France 24 reported that Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the Northern Bridge was hit in an air attack on Saturday. The BBC and France 24 both reported that the strike comes after repeat attacks damaged the city's Southern Bridge. [1][5][6]

Casualties and damage were reported across Ukraine during the escalation. The New York Times cited AP News reporting that Russian attacks killed six people in Ukraine, while Al Jazeera reported five deaths as Kyiv and Moscow traded strikes. The Guardian reported that strikes also hit a school and a hospital in Kyiv, leading Mayor Klitschko to state that residents can no longer pretend it is peacetime. As FTMQ News reported earlier, a strike on the Pivnichnyi Bridge injured two people and damaged trolleybus wires. [1][4][7][16]

The Russian foreign ministry issued a statement urging foreign diplomats and nationals to leave the capital, RTE and Investing.com reported. According to RTE, the ministry warned of massive strikes on Kyiv as Moscow stepped up attacks against key infrastructure. The Straits Times and WION both reported the Russian warning for foreign diplomats to leave the city. [2][3][9][10]

Strikes also occurred outside the capital. Reuters, cited by Al Jazeera, reported that a Russian strike on a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in Odesa killed one person. Al Jazeera reported that Russian strikes also targeted data centers in Kyiv, prompting NATO to condemn Moscow for irresponsible nuclear rhetoric. [7]