Russian drone hits Kyiv bridge for second day as German chancellor visits

A Russian drone struck Kyiv's Pivnichnyi (Northern) Bridge on Sunday for the second consecutive day, marking the fourth straight day of attacks on major bridges in the Ukrainian capital and creating a large fireball as vehicles crossed. The strike damaged a heating main, causing temporary hot water outages in the Desnyanskyi district, with no casualties reported. The attack coincided with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's surprise visit to Kyiv, where he met President Volodymyr Zelensky and reaffirmed Germany's support, having become Ukraine's largest donor since May 2025. Russia's defence ministry announced it would intensify strikes on Kyiv and other regions, targeting bridges used for military transfers. The EU and German ambassadors declared they would remain in Kyiv despite Moscow's warnings for foreign citizens to leave, as Zelensky continued urging Western allies to provide advanced interceptors against Russian drones.