Russia

Moscow, October 4, 2026. The Russian press, both official and independent, is treating the strikes on Kiev's bridges as an episode in the logistical war. According to the TASS agency, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Friday, October 2, that it had hit a road and rail bridge over the Dnieper River, which Ukrainian groupings in the Donbass depended on for their supplies. On Saturday, October 3, the North Bridge, described as "a route used by the Ukrainian armed forces to move troops," was also targeted, as was the Gostomel logistics center, according to Vedomosti.

Russian media are heavily relying on The New York Times. TASS and RIA Novosti are using its formula of a "logistical nightmare" for Kiev: the attacks "could weaken the load-bearing structures" and lead the authorities to close the bridges for an indefinite period. RIA adds that, according to the American daily, drones are now buzzing over the capital for entire days, with almost continuous alerts, and notes that residents are massively leaving the city, with the supply of rental housing rapidly increasing.

Meduza, an independent media outlet, provides material details: the South Bridge, hit by drones on October 1 and 2, lost its support, its slide, and part of the roadway, and metro traffic has been interrupted. The North Bridge suffered damage to the roadway and trolleybus lines, with two injured, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Meduza specifies that these are the first strikes on Kiev's bridges since the start of the war and cites Ukrainian experts who say that drones are not enough to destroy these structures but can bring them to a state of ruin if they persist.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has again called on foreigners and diplomats to leave Kiev, promising "massive retaliatory strikes" in response to what it calls "terrorist acts" by the Ukrainian army against the civilian population and Russian infrastructure. It recalls its warnings of May 25 and states that "the responsibility for the consequences lies entirely with those who ignore this warning."

The Moscow Times reports on Volodymyr Zelensky's interview with Reuters: Ukraine will intensify its strikes on Russian refineries in response to a "new doctrine" that Vladimir Putin is said to have adopted, without targeting civilians. The Kremlin was not available for comment, and the newspaper notes that both sides deny targeting civilians. The state media outlets provided do not address this doctrine, the refineries, or Lukoil.