Russian drone strikes Kyiv's Northern Bridge, damaging power lines; traffic restricted
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A Russian jet-powered drone near the Southern Bridge in Kyiv, October 2, 2026 (Photo: REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko)
A Russian jet-powered drone hit Kyiv's Northern Bridge on the morning of Oct. 3, damaging the road surface and the trolleybus overhead power lines. Traffic on the bridge was restricted, Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said.
Presidential adviser Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov suggested Russia may be using mesh relay devices in Kyiv to control Shahed drones online and guide their strikes, including on bridges.
The Kyiv City State Administration said the Russian strike on the Northern Bridge damaged the overhead power lines, and repair work is underway.
Traffic on the bridge is currently restricted: three lanes are operating from the left bank to the right, and one lane from the right bank to the left. Full-lane traffic will resume once repairs are complete, the authorities said.
Kyiv’s municipal public transport enterprise Kyivpastrans organized trolleybus service: on the left bank, routes 29, 30, 31, and 47 are running from Myloslavska Street to Darnytska Square; on the right bank, routes 29, 30, 31, and 47 are running from the Kurenivka rail platform, Lukyanivska metro station, Kadetskyi Hai Street, and Minska metro station to Pochaina metro station.
Reports of traffic jams in the capital because of the bridge closures are circulating online.
Bus routes 21, 73, 101, and 114 resumed on their own adjusted routes. Transit is running with schedule deviations, the city’s administration said.
Klitschko reported damage to the road surface and the trolleybus overhead power lines. Traffic on the bridge from the left bank to the right bank is closed, the mayor clarified.
Kyivpastrans initially reported the closure of the Northern Bridge around 7:30 a.m.
Buses 21, 73, 101, and 114, and trolleybuses 29, 30, 31, and 47 are delayed. Buses 21, 73, and 101 have been rerouted via: the Podilskyi bridge crossing — Poshtova Ploshcha metro station — Yevropeiska Ploshcha.
Emergency services are working at the site of the strike, Klitschko reported earlier.
Ukraine's Air Force had warned of a jet-powered drone heading toward the Northern Bridge at about 6:37 a.m., after which an explosion was heard in the capital.
Local Telegram channels reported a hit and a fire near one of the bridge's support piers.
On Oct. 1 and 2, Russian forces struck Kyiv's Southern Bridge with drones, damaging the road surface, a bridge support pier, a guardrail and the metro's protective concrete decking. The bridge is now fully closed to both vehicle traffic and the metro.
Also on Oct. 2, city authorities restricted traffic on the Paton Bridge and the Metro Bridge. As a result, the capital experienced a transportation collapse — all of the city's main thoroughfares were paralyzed, public transit was delayed, and people walked across bridges on foot.
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