Russians bomb Kyiv's bridges while Trump and Europe just watch

Long lines of cars and buses formed in Kyiv on Friday morning after repeated Russian drone attacks forced the closure of the Southern Bridge over the Dnipro River, while traffic was restricted on other crossings. The Southern Bridge was first hit on Thursday, and after reopening it was struck again overnight and in the early hours of Friday; according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, a bridge pillar, the road surface and the concrete protective structure next to the metro line were also damaged. AFP reporters on the scene described motionless rows of vehicles as commuters searched for alternative routes, while the Paton Bridge was also only partially passable.

According to Reuters correspondents, traffic on the bridges resumed around midday, but the morning disruptions hit particularly hard those living on the city's eastern bank, many of whom work on the western side. The overnight attacks also started a fire in a residential building, killing one person and injuring two others. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, who is pressing for reinforced air defenses, said Ukraine needs at least three hundred Patriot interceptor missiles to provide even minimal protection during the winter period. On Friday, Volodymyr Zelensky also called for tougher sanctions, arguing that since the production of Russia's new jet-powered drones depends on foreign components, halting those supplies could reduce the number of attacks even before assembly begins. Intercepting the faster weapons is becoming an increasingly difficult task, while repeated air raid alerts and strikes on rail, road and fuel infrastructure continue to disrupt life in the city. Zelensky also announced that Ukraine had used its own FP-7 tactical ballistic missile in combat for the first time, though he did not disclose where or against what target it was deployed.

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