kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Russia once again called on Saturday diplomats and foreigners in kyiv to leave the city, warning that its forces will continue to carry out “massive retaliatory strikes” against the Ukrainian capital, which has been repeatedly targeted for weeks.
Published on: 03/10/2026 - 14:42
A new large bridge was hit there on Saturday morning after a day of Friday marked by gigantic traffic jams in a large part of the city, created by several Russian drone attacks on another structure allowing crossing the Dnieper.
Reiterating a first call of this type made in May, the Russian Foreign Ministry suggested in a statement that “foreign nationals and diplomats in kyiv should leave the city”.
“Responsibility for possible negative consequences lies entirely with those who ignore this warning,” he warned, announcing that “Russian armed forces will continue to carry out massive retaliatory strikes” against “military targets in kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.”
Moscow's previous warning several months ago had not been followed by the Western chancelleries which support Ukraine and around fifty states had described these messages at the UN as "threats" against the diplomats present in kyiv.
The Ukrainian capital has been particularly targeted in recent weeks by almost daily waves of drones, and in particular jet drones that are more difficult to intercept, at a time when Ukraine is facing a lack of anti-aircraft resources.
Road chaos
On Saturday morning, the North Bridge, one of eight structures spanning the Dnieper River, was hit by Russian bombing, the capital's mayor Vitaly Klitschko announced on Telegram.
The road surface and trolleybus cables were damaged on the bridge, which was cut off to traffic in the left bank-right bank direction of the river, he said.
Thursday and Friday, it was the South Bridge which was hit several times by Russian drones, leading to its closure to traffic and road chaos in the metropolis of three million inhabitants.
These were the first significant attacks on a major bridge in kyiv since the Russian invasion began in 2022. Ukraine had long feared such strikes.
Mr. Klitschko on Friday described the situation in the capital as "extremely dramatic" and said that Moscow was in the process of "ransacking" the city by systematically attacking its infrastructure and logistics.
Ukraine and Russia have significantly ramped up their long-range strikes in recent months, causing increasing numbers of civilian casualties. For kyiv, which is particularly targeted, this translates into air alert sirens sounding constantly.
Moscow has also devastated Ukraine's metallurgy sector and halted much of its agricultural exports to the Black Sea, dealing a blow to its economy. Gas stations, shopping centers, computer data centers and telephone operators were also targeted.
In Russia, refineries and oil depots are being targeted, which caused a fuel crisis this summer, as well as the warehouses of e-commerce giants Wildberries and Ozon.
Arrival of winter
After launching an unsuccessful "40-day" operation this summer to capsize the Russian economy, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has since been increasing proposals for a truce in the strikes.
Such an idea was rejected by his counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
"We are told: 'Let them stop hitting your refineries, and you will stop hitting their ships.' This is simply ridiculous," the Russian president said during the Valdai political forum.
Ukraine especially fears the arrival of winter, a critical period during which its energy infrastructure can be targeted.
In the winter of 2025, Russia devastated Ukrainian power plants, at times plunging millions of people into the cold and the dark in freezing temperatures.
“The Ukrainians are aware that this winter could be very harsh for us. But faced with this, we will have no other choice than to make it difficult for Russia as well,” Mr. Zelensky declared at the UN at the end of September.
© 2026 AFP
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