Russian drone strikes targeted Kyiv's Southern Bridge and a high-rise residential building overnight into Friday, killing one person and injuring two others while forcing closures of major bridges across the Dnipro River.

City authorities reported that the attacks, part of a larger wave of over 100 drones launched by Russia on Thursday evening, damaged the upper floors of a 25-story building in the Darnytskyi district. Emergency services responded to the scene as fires broke out in some areas. A school in the Solomenskyi district was also struck earlier on Thursday.

The Southern Bridge, also known as the Pivdennyi Bridge, sustained repeated hits starting Thursday morning. Two drones struck near its support structure while a metro train crossed, sending dust into passenger carriages but causing no injuries there. Additional strikes that evening and overnight damaged a pier, the roadway, and protective barriers around the metro line. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said preliminary inspections found no critical structural damage after the initial attack, but repeated hits led to full closure in both directions.

Traffic restrictions extended to the Paton Bridge and Metro Bridge, creating gridlock across the capital as commuters sought alternative routes. Buses and trolleybuses were rerouted, and taxi fares surged amid the disruption. The Kyiv City Military Administration noted that the Darnytskyi Bridge remained open as one option for crossing.

Ukraine's air defenses intercepted or suppressed 88 of 108 drones launched in the overnight attack, according to officials. Russia claimed its strikes targeted military-related infrastructure, including the bridge, which it said supported Ukrainian operations.

These strikes mark the first direct attacks on Kyiv's bridges since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022. The targeting of transport links highlights an escalation in efforts to disrupt daily life in the capital, even as Ukrainian forces continue to defend against the barrage.