Russian strike on the Northern bridge in Kyiv.
This is the second bridge attacked by Russia in the capital.
A new stage of the war.
Russia has started striking Ukrainian bridges with jet-powered drones.
In particular, Russia carried out several strikes on the Southern Bridge across the Dnipro - one of the key transport arteries not only of Kyiv but of Ukraine as a whole, through which cargo moves from the right bank of Ukraine to the left bank and back.
Everyday life in Ukrainian cities critically depends on bridges. The Southern Bridge, which the enemy has begun attacking, connects the left and right banks of Kyiv. Cars and trains of the green metro line run across it.
During the first attack a passenger train was crossing the bridge. Repeated strikes on the bridge have serious consequences for Kyiv residents, who largely depend on public transport.
The effects of the strikes were felt immediately: metro and surface transport were halted, specialists urgently inspected the bridge, and passengers had to look for alternative routes - which is extremely difficult.
Since the beginning of the war the Russians have repeatedly attacked bridges. Previously, however, the strikes rarely produced results because Russia lacked the necessary means.
Large bridges in Ukraine are capital structures built to withstand missile and bomb strikes. To destroy such a bridge or inflict any significant damage on it requires dozens of missiles, not all of which would reach the target. The older version of the Shaheds was also useless.
The situation has now changed because Russia has acquired jet-powered "Geran" 4/5 drones, which Ukrainian air defense still struggles to shoot down. These Gerans have increased guidance accuracy.
These UAVs can attack using ultra-precise coordinates.
This means Russian drones can now strike bridges more accurately, hitting their weak points.
Jet-powered drones alone are unlikely to bring down an entire bridge, but through regular strikes they can damage the supports and block traffic.
The Russians are not only switching to jet-powered drones - they are also beginning to test autonomous swarms and AI. This is not yet a proven combat system, but it is the predicted next step.
Thus Russia has moved to a new level of warfare - a regime of constant drone pressure that it can sustain for a long time.
Today it is necessary to reduce Russia's ability to produce drones - through sanctions and restrictions on the supply of critical components - and to strike Russian military production and launch facilities. Whatever is still launched must be intercepted by the cheapest possible means.
Russian drones must be stopped before they are even launched.