A Russian drone crashed into a main bridge in the Ukrainian capital Kiev on Sunday, as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in the city to the sounds of air raid sirens, explosions and air defense systems operating.
Merz is in Kiev to show support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as Russia intensifies its attacks on the city.
“Ukraine needs all the support it can get in the coming weeks,” Merz said.
“If we don’t stop Russia, sooner or later the Russian war machine will turn against us,” he said, highlighting attacks on Ukrainian towns, homes and energy.
Video footage from Sunday morning’s strike showed the moment the city’s Northern Bridge was attacked, with huge columns of fire and black smoke erupting as cars were still passing by. Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said two people were injured.
This is the second Northern Bridge collision in recent days. On Thursday and Friday, Kiev’s South Bridge, which serves ground transportation and the city’s metro network, was hit five times within 24 hours.
Ukrainian officials say Russia’s attacks on the capital’s infrastructure threaten to split the capital in two, with Kiev divided along the Dnipro River, with corporate offices and government offices on the right bank and mostly residential areas on the left.
Kiev plans to begin construction of several alternative crossings across the Dnipro River in case attacks on bridges continue, the infrastructure minister announced on Sunday.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense said it attacked Northern Bridge on Sunday, targeting a route used for transporting soldiers and military equipment. It added that two cargo ships carrying military equipment were hit in the port of Odesa. Russia’s Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday that a logistics center in the Kiev region was also targeted.
Prime Minister Merz visited Kiev on Saturday with Economy and Energy Minister Katarina Reich, despite Russian warnings that foreign visitors and dignitaries visiting the Ukrainian capital are unsafe amid Russian attacks.
Mr. Zelenskyy and Mr. Merz have significant defense and industrial cooperation, which will see the two countries finalize agreements on the production of drones and missiles.
Berlin will also inject 1 billion euros ($1.13 billion) in military aid and 350 million euros ($390 million) to repair damaged energy infrastructure in Ukraine, German officials said.
President Zelenskiy has warned that Ukraine’s defense needs are expanding as Russia accelerates its air campaign, launching Shahed-class drones, fast jet-propelled vehicles that can evade some of Ukraine’s air defense systems and take advantage of a lack of interceptors.
Merz said earlier on Sunday that Ukraine “will enter a decisive phase in the coming weeks.” He wrote to X: “Today I went to Kiev with a message: ‘Trust in us.'”
Meanwhile, there appears to be no immediate respite for Kiev’s 3 million residents, with Moscow saying Sunday it would only step up attacks targeting the capital and other cities.
“The attacks by Russian Federation forces against military installations, military industrial facilities and related infrastructure in Kiev and other regions of Ukraine will intensify,” the ministry said.
Russia’s new threat comes after President Zelenskiy said in an interview with Reuters on Saturday that he plans to double down on attacks on refineries.
“We have to respond in any way (we can). Their attack on our energy, we have to respond with their energy. First of all, the oil refineries, etc. – who are financing this war,” Zelenskiy said.
His comments came despite calls from U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently urged Ukraine to avoid attacks on Russian oil infrastructure, citing soaring global oil prices.
CNN’s Kara Fox and Farida Elsebai contributed reporting.
