Russia strikes Kyiv bridges and warns foreign diplomats to leave the capital

Russia hit the Northern Bridge over the Dnipro in Kyiv on Oct 3, the latest blow in an escalating campaign against the capital's infrastructure — and Moscow urged foreign nationals and diplomats to leave the country.

The Northern Bridge strike damaged the road surface and overhead trolleybus cables, halting east-to-west traffic; the Southern Bridge was hit several times in the previous two days. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the capital is “in a very dire situation”.

Russia's foreign ministry said the strikes were retaliation for Ukrainian “terrorist acts” and warned diplomats that responsibility for ignoring its advisory “lies entirely with those who ignore this warning.” Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 157 attack and decoy drones overnight, of which 131 were intercepted.

Separately, Russia struck a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in Odesa's Black Sea port, killing one person and injuring three. President Zelensky has warned Moscow is dropping earlier constraints on striking civilian and nuclear-linked infrastructure.