Kyiv bridges are safe, says engineer: 'The bridges stand. And we stand.'

Ukrainian National Guard engineer Oleg Dörfler dismissed online fears that Kyiv's Left Bank could be cut off by destroyed Dnipro bridges, calling such claims exaggerated and panic-inducing. He stated that bridge designs include significant safety margins, built during the Cold War to withstand even tactical nuclear weapons. Dörfler noted that while a missile or drone could damage a span or support, completely destroying such a bridge is a different task. He cited the Antonivsky Bridge in Kherson, which survived months of HIMARS strikes in 2022 before Russian forces destroyed it during their retreat. Kyiv has eight Dnipro bridges, and Ukrainian engineers have learned to repair damaged structures quickly. Dörfler suggested the panic may be part of information warfare, saying "they don't need to destroy the bridge, they need you to believe it's already destroyed." He urged people to ignore such "experts," concluding "The bridges stand. And we stand. And we will stand." Earlier that day, Russia struck Kyiv's Northern Bridge, damaging road surface and a heating main.