Can Kyiv’s Dnipro bridges be destroyed? Engineer reveals the key secret

Ukrainian veteran and engineer Oleh Derfler stated that destroying Kyiv's bridges across the Dnipro River is far more difficult than panic-inducing social media posts suggest, calling such messages a Russian tactic to intimidate Ukrainians. Derfler, who has an engineering-technician education and experience designing bridges and elevators, explained that the bridges were built during the Cold War with a strength reserve capable of withstanding even tactical nuclear weapons. He noted that while a missile or drone could damage a span or support, fully collapsing such a bridge is a different task entirely. He cited the Antonovsky Bridge in Kherson, which survived targeted HIMARS strikes in 2022 and was only destroyed by retreating Russian forces. Derfler emphasized that panic itself is a weapon, and that Russians aim to sow fear rather than physically destroy infrastructure, urging people to ignore unqualified "experts" and trust that the bridges remain standing.