Russia bombs a bridge in Kyiv coinciding with the visit of the German Chancellor

Russia bombed a bridge in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, on Sunday, shortly after the arrival of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on a surprise visit to show European support for Ukraine, amid an escalation in Russian attacks on the city's bridges and infrastructure.

Sirens sounded across the capital shortly after Meretz's arrival amid tight security, with warnings of approaching Russian attack drones and calls for residents to take cover.

Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that a strike damaged the road surface on the Northern Bridge, one of the bridges connecting the two parts of the city across the Dnieper River. Pictures posted on messaging platforms showed what appeared to be a missile hitting the bridge, launching a ball of flame.

Meretz's visit came the day after Russia warned foreigners and diplomats not to stay in Kiev, saying that the capital would be subjected to new "large-scale" air strikes.

The German Chancellor is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, while government sources in Berlin expected that the two sides would agree on a new package of military support worth more than one billion dollars.

Mertz said that Ukraine "needs our support in the coming weeks," warning that "if Russia is not stopped, its military machine will turn to us sooner or later."

According to German government sources, the expected support package includes combat drones and satellite technologies to help Ukraine target Russian launch sites, in addition to joint production of drones capable of intercepting Russian drones equipped with jet engines.

Zelensky has repeatedly called on his country's Western allies to provide more military support, including advanced interception systems, to confront these fast drones.

This week, Meretz called for unity against Russia, within NATO, the European Union, and in Germany, where the far-right Alternative for Germany party, which is close to Moscow, is on the rise.

These calls come in light of growing European fears of Russian attacks, including secret operations.

Sunday's strike comes after an attack targeted the North Bridge on Saturday morning, which Klitschko said resulted in two people being injured and damage to the road surface and overhead electrical wires of buses, leading to traffic disruption.

The southern bridge was also subjected to repeated strikes by drones during the past days. Russia said that its drones targeted the two bridges for use in transporting Ukrainian forces and military shipments.

The attacks and restrictions imposed due to the threat of drones caused the disruption of transportation and widespread congestion, and raised fears that the continuing strikes would lead to severing links between the two parts of the capital, which is inhabited by about three million people.

Experts believe that the Russian drones are unlikely to bring down the bridges, but repeated attacks may force their closure and weaken their structures, making them unusable. More powerful weapons could lead to its collapse.

Klitschko warned that Kiev was in a "very tragic situation", with vital infrastructure, logistical facilities and housing being targeted. The attacks also targeted gas stations, schools, and railway and communications facilities.

Zelensky accused Russia of seeking to push residents to leave their cities by destroying bridges and basic services. He said in an interview with the Financial Times that the Russians "failed to occupy us, so they are now carrying out massive attacks and mass killings."

On the other hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that targeting Ukrainian economic facilities comes in response to Ukrainian strikes that targeted Russian oil refineries and ships in the Black Sea.

However, Russia has been targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure since its comprehensive invasion in February 2022, and is intensifying its attacks on it during the winter. Kiev says it is attacking the Russian oil sector for its role in financing the war.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said, in its warning issued on Saturday, that “the responsibility for any negative consequences lies entirely with those who ignore this warning.”

Moscow previously issued a similar warning in May, but leaders of countries supporting Ukraine continued to visit Kiev.