Russian drones struck Kyiv's Southern Bridge over the Dnipro River for a second consecutive day on Friday, forcing authorities to close two bridges across the river, according to city officials. The same morning, Ukrainian drones hit industrial facilities in the Russian city of Volgograd — home to a major oil refinery — extending the overnight exchange of long-range strikes into a second day.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram that Russian air strikes had "again hit the Southern Bridge" on Friday, following Thursday strikes in which Russian drones smashed into a school in Kyiv and into the Southern Bridge, triggering fires across the capital. City authorities said traffic was closed in both directions across the Southern Bridge and the nearby Paton Bridge, with partial restrictions imposed on the Metro Bridge, as vehicles were redirected to alternative routes.
One person was killed and two others were injured in the Ukrainian capital, city authorities said on Friday. A fire broke out in the upper floors of an apartment building in Kyiv, and officials reported damage in another part of the city as well. Emergency crews continued working at the affected sites as authorities assessed the destruction.
Moscow confirms the bridge strike
Russia's defense ministry said on Telegram that its drones had hit a bridge over the Dnipro River in Kyiv, a power station in the surrounding region, the Izmail port near Odesa, and a cargo vessel — describing all of them as targets used for military purposes. The Russian statement effectively confirms Moscow's responsibility for the bridge strike, corroborating Kyiv's account.
The renewed targeting of Dnipro crossings is notable: the bridge strike follows a near-daily campaign of Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities that has continued through the autumn, with Kyiv repeatedly warning that Moscow is intensifying its campaign against critical infrastructure as winter approaches.
Volgograd hit the same morning
In Russia, Ukrainian drones targeted industrial facilities in Volgograd, a regional governor said, sparking a fire and injuring one person after an apartment building was also hit. Volgograd is home to a large oil refinery, and Ukraine has spent months systematically striking Russian refineries and energy facilities deep inside Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Ukraine's refinery campaign has cost Russia 1% of its gross domestic product, with drivers forming long lines at fuel stations amid reported shortages. The Volgograd strike continues that pressure, extending Kyiv's deep-strike campaign into a new morning after a day of strikes on the Ukrainian capital.
The two-day exchange underscores the war's current pattern: near-daily Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure paired with Ukrainian drone operations against Russian energy and industrial sites — a reciprocal rhythm that has produced one of the most sustained aerial campaigns of the war.
