Russian drones strike Kyiv’s Southern Bridge in first attack on the city’s bridges since the full-scale invasion. A subway train was crossing it at the time.
Russian forces are keeping up their drone attacks on Kyiv. On the morning of October 1, a drone struck a school building in the Solomianskyi district. The students were in a shelter at the time and were unharmed. Later that day, Russian forces attacked bridges in Kyiv with drones for the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. Two drones struck the Southern Bridge, which carries both road traffic and subway trains.
A school building in Kyiv’s Solomensky district damaged by a Russian drone strike. October 1, 2026
Gleb Garanich / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA
A police officer and a State Emergency Service employee with the warhead of the drone that struck the school in the Solomensky district. October 1, 2026
Evgeniy Maloletka / AP / Scanpix / LETA
The blast wave sent dust from the ventilation system into the cars of a subway train crossing the bridge. No passengers were hurt. The train was also undamaged, according to preliminary reports, but was sent to a depot for further inspection.
Subway and bus service across the bridge has been suspended. Subway trains are running only on underground stretches: between the Syrets and Vydubychi stations and between Osokorky and Chervonyi Khutir, the Kyiv City Military Administration said. Buses have been temporarily rerouted. Experts are inspecting the bridge to assess damage from the strikes. The administration said preliminary findings showed no critical damage.
The Southern Bridge after the drone strike. October 1, 2026
Alina Smutko / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA
UNIAN noted that subway service across the Southern Bridge used to be suspended during air raid alerts. Since September 9, however, trains have been allowed to cross the bridge during “yellow” alerts, with service suspended only during “red” alerts.
It also emerged on October 1 that a Russian drone had attacked the Institute for Nuclear Research of Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences in Kyiv the previous day. Ukraine’s nuclear regulator, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate, said the strike hit the grounds where a research reactor is located. A fire broke out but was quickly extinguished. No one was hurt, the reactor was undamaged, and radiation levels are normal.
On September 28, a Russian drone struck the building housing the academy’s governing body in central Kyiv. Two people were killed and several were injured. Among the injured, according to the BBC Russian Service, was former National Security and Defense Council Secretary Volodymyr Horbulin.
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