Russia strikes Kyiv with missiles in three waves and damages a key bridge over the Dnipro

Russian forces launched a large-scale attack with ballistic missiles and drones against Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight from Friday into Saturday, in three waves, damaging a key bridge over the Dnipro River, several energy facilities and homes, Ukrainian authorities said.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said several missiles struck the Northern Bridge, one of the capital's main crossings, which was damaged and closed to traffic in both directions. At least five people were injured in the capital, including a 14-year-old girl, and two were hospitalized. The Yonhap news agency, citing the authorities, reported one person killed and eight wounded in the attack.

Klitschko described an “extremely difficult” situation for the energy supply: the facilities damaged in Kyiv and in the Zhytomyr region affect electricity, heating and water, with temperatures near freezing on Saturday morning. Emergency power cuts were introduced in the capital.

Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 172 attack drones, including 137 jet-powered ones, along with ballistic missiles, and that air defenses shot down or suppressed 149 drones and four missiles.

Russia's Defense Ministry confirmed the attack and said its targets were the Northern Bridge, a plant producing Flamingo missiles, a power station, an electrical substation and an ammunition plant in the Kyiv region. Moscow claims the bridge was used to transport military equipment, something Ukraine has not confirmed.

The attack came hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia was preparing a new strike against energy infrastructure and the bridges over the Dnipro, and three days before a new round of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, mediated by the United States. In recent weeks, Russia has expanded its campaign against Kyiv's bridges, in a city of more than 3 million people.

Meanwhile, in Komyshuvakha, in the south of the country, rescue teams raised to 55 the death toll from Monday's bombing of a humanitarian aid center, in a follow-up to the story published by this newspaper on November 3.

Photo: Gleb Garanich / Reuters

Source: Korea JoongAng Daily (Yonhap)