Russia has renewed its warning for diplomats and foreign nationals to leave Kyiv, cautioning that the Ukrainian capital could face “massive” strikes, according to its foreign ministry.
Moscow has repeatedly attacked Ukraine with waves of missiles and drones since launching its offensive. In recent weeks, the strikes on Kyiv have intensified, with key infrastructure among the targets.
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In a statement, Russia’s foreign ministry said it had “previously urged foreign nationals and diplomats in Kyiv to leave the city and refrain from visiting Ukraine.”
“We note with concern that not everyone has heeded these warnings, and that individuals are knowingly exposing themselves to mortal danger,” the ministry said.
The ministry added that “responsibility for any potential negative consequences rests entirely with those who ignore this warning.”
A Russian strike hit one of Kyiv’s major bridges on Sunday morning, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said, adding to a series of attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure that have thrown the capital’s transport network into turmoil.
The Northern Bridge was struck after a drone alert, a day after the Southern Bridge was hit during a barrage that city officials said was “tearing Kyiv apart”.
“Northern Bridge has been hit,” Klitschko said in a message on Telegram. “Emergency services are heading to the scene.”
In a subsequent update, Mr Klitschko said the strike had damaged the bridge’s road surface and trolleybus wires.
“Traffic across the bridge from the left bank to the right bank is currently blocked,” he said.
The attack was the latest in a series targeting crossings over the Dnipro river, which connect the eastern and western sides of Kyiv.
Authorities had closed the Southern Bridge — one of the capital’s main crossings — on Saturday and limited movement on another bridge after a wave of fast-moving, jet-powered drones struck the city, triggering severe congestion.
Lines of stationary cars and buses stretched across major roads as commuters searched for alternative routes. Some people were forced to abandon their vehicles and continue on foot.
The Southern Bridge is one of eight crossings linking the two sides of Kyiv.
The cable-stayed structure had already been struck several times since Thursday, according to city officials. Mr Klitschko warned on Saturday that the capital should now be on a war footing.
President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of tearing up the rules of armed conflict by authorising large-scale attacks on civilian areas. The Kremlin has rejected the accusation.
In Odesa, a Russian attack on a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in one of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports killed one person and injured three others, Ukraine’s sea ports administration said on Saturday.
The administration said in a statement on Telegram that 13 other crew members had been evacuated to safety.
Separately, one person was killed and two others injured in a Ukrainian attack on Russia’s Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, the state-run TASS news agency reported.
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