Kyiv weighs Japanese bridge parts for new Dnipro crossings despite high costs and risks

Kyiv may build additional bridges across the Dnipro River using Japanese-supplied structures, but the project faces significant cost, capacity, and security challenges, according to bridge engineer Anna Minyukova. Japan's JICA agency provided 720 meters of prefabricated bridge structures, though 1,000-1,200 meters are needed per bridge. Each single-lane crossing would cost about 3 billion hryvnias, and new bridges remain vulnerable to Russian attacks. Minyukova called government timelines for early 2027 unrealistic, citing incomplete engineering work, weather constraints, and limited funding. Russia has intensified strikes on Kyiv bridges this autumn, prompting plans for pontoon crossings by February-March 2027.