Russian drone hits Kyiv’s Northern Bridge again, during German Chancellor Merz’s visit; two wounded

KYIV, 4 October — A Russian drone on Sunday morning struck Kyiv’s Northern (Pivnichnyi) Bridge, just as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was in the city on an unannounced visit, as CNN reports. Two people were wounded by the explosion, Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko announced.

Published video footage shows the moment of the strike — the drone crashing into the bridge while cars were still crossing it, causing a fireball and a cloud of black smoke that rose over the Dnipro River, according to CNN.

It is the second time in two days that the Northern Bridge has been hit. On Thursday and Friday, the Southern Bridge — which serves the city’s road transport and metro — was hit five times in less than 24 hours.

The attack comes despite Russia’s warning on Saturday that foreign visitors and personalities are “not safe” in Kyiv amid the Russian offensive. Merz travelled to Kyiv with the Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Katarina Reiche, and on Saturday wrote on X: “Ukraine is facing decisive weeks ahead… You can rely on us.”

During the visit, Zelensky and Merz are finalising a defence and industrial partnership for the joint production of drones and missiles; the release of 1 billion euros in military aid and 350 million euros for repairing energy infrastructure is also expected. Zelensky has warned that Russia’s high-speed, jet-engine Shahed drones are evading Ukraine’s traditional air defences.

Mayor Klitschko also announced damage to a heating pipeline in the attack area, causing a temporary lack of hot water in the Desnyanskyi district, in the northeast of the city.