Politics
During German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s unannounced visit to Ukraine to express solidarity with the country, Russia launched a drone attack on a key bridge in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv,
During German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s unannounced visit to Ukraine to express solidarity with the country, Russia launched a drone attack on a key bridge in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, injuring two people. Reaffirming Germany’s support for Ukraine, Merz called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war immediately. According to Reuters, a Russian drone struck Kyiv’s important Northern Bridge over the Dnipro River shortly after Merz arrived in the capital. Thousands of residents use the bridge every day to travel between the two sides of the city.
The attack came amid reports that Kyiv’s bridges had been targeted for four consecutive days. The latest incident occurred while vehicles were traveling across the bridge. A drone struck the roadway, triggering an explosion and fire. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said two people were injured in the attack. Merz had arrived in Kyiv by train earlier that morning for his unannounced visit. His trip came as Ukraine faces an increasingly critical situation amid intensified Russian attacks since the beginning of the war. According to reports, Russia has increased its attacks on Kyiv in recent weeks using new jet-powered drones, reportedly with the aim of damaging Ukraine’s energy infrastructure ahead of winter. The attacks are part of a broader campaign targeting logistics hubs, railway lines, data centers, medical storage facilities, and steel plants.
On Saturday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry also issued a warning calling on foreign nationals and diplomatic personnel to leave Ukraine. However, several foreign ambassadors, including Germany’s, announced that they would remain in Kyiv. Merz is regarded as one of Europe’s prominent supporters of Ukraine and has also repeatedly raised concerns over alleged Russian hybrid campaigns targeting other countries. Since Merz took office as German chancellor in May 2025, Germany has become the largest provider of military assistance to Ukraine, while U.S. aid to Ukraine has declined. Last month, Germany accused Russia of being involved in an alleged plot to target Halle Airport, an important logistics hub used by Western countries to deliver military assistance to Ukraine.
During his meeting with the German chancellor, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russian attacks had left Kyiv residents living in fear both day and night. Speaking in Kyiv, Merz also warned that Russia’s attacks could eventually reach Europe. He said Ukraine needed strong support from its allies, including Germany, because if Russia was not stopped, its war machine could eventually turn toward Europe. In an interview with Reuters on Saturday, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would step up attacks on Russian oil refineries in response to Russian strikes. On Sunday, Russia’s Defense Ministry cited Zelenskyy’s comments and said Russia would intensify its attacks on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine following the Ukrainian president’s statement.
