On the night of October 27, a Russian ballistic missile strike on the South Bridge in Kyiv caused damage to the bridge structure and adjacent engineering systems. According to the Department of Transport Infrastructure of the Kyiv City State Administration (KGSA), as of October 28, traffic across the bridge is closed, and train operations on part of the green line (Syretsko-Pecherska line) of the metro are suspended. Round-the-clock work is underway to eliminate the consequences of the attack and assess the technical condition of the structures.
What was damaged and who is addressing the aftermath
Specialists from the municipal enterprise «Kyivavtoshlyakhmist» are working in areas that did not sustain critical damage and do not require additional engineering inspections or design solutions. Simultaneously, employees of the «Kyiv Metro» enterprise are restoring utility networks: in particular, work is underway on dispatch centralization, backup power supply, and train traffic control. Some systems have already been restored, but the full extent of the damage is still being clarified.
Integrity inspection: what experts will show
The Department emphasized that certain damages affect the operation of the bridge structure as a whole, making it necessary to assess their impact on the strength and safety of the facility. To this end, specialized research institutes are concurrently conducting an inspection of the bridge structure. The inspection report from the National Institute for Infrastructure Development is expected to be received early next week — in early November 2026.
Chronology of strikes on the South Bridge
This is not the first time this month that the South Bridge has become a target of attacks. According to reports, on October 1 and 2, jet drones hit the structure, after which the bridge was closed to traffic, and restrictions were introduced on the Paton and Metro bridges. On the morning of October 27, following the ballistic shellings, traffic in Kyiv was severely hindered: traffic jams formed on both the left and right banks of the Dnipro River. Repairing the damage is estimated to take time.
What is next
Upon receiving the inspection report, specialized institutes will prepare technical solutions for the further restoration of the bridge and the ground section of the Syretsko-Pecherska metro line. Until then, the bridge remains closed to traffic, and the metro operates in a restricted mode. The authorities will announce the timeframe for full restoration and the resumption of traffic on all lines after the engineering inspections are completed.
