Russia targets busy bridge in central Kyiv in broad daylight

Key Points:

• Two Russian drones struck Kyiv's Pivdennyi (Southern) bridge, halting public transport and marking a new phase in Moscow's attacks on the Ukrainian capital; preliminary assessments found no critical structural damage despite a blast near a main support.
• The drone strikes follow coordinated attacks on Kyiv's energy grid, leading to renewed power cuts despite local efforts to build smaller power plants; Russia appears to be intensifying its campaign amid Ukraine's air defense shortages.
• Earlier on Thursday, a Russian drone hit a school while over 100 students were present, but all had taken shelter with no injuries reported; Ukrainian officials condemned the attack and emphasized holding Russia accountable.
• The drones used include a new jet-powered model with a 40kg warhead designed to destroy infrastructure like electricity pylons and bridges; in September alone, over 3,100 such drones were launched, challenging Ukraine's air defenses.
• Additional recent attacks targeted Kyiv's Institute of Nuclear Research and the National Academy of Sciences, resulting in at least one fatality, underscoring the ongoing threat to critical institutions in the city.