Ukraine warns Russian strikes target Dnipro bridges to disrupt power and transport links

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Ukraine warns on Dnipro bridge attacks

Highlights

President Zelenskyy told Ursula von der Leyen that Russia plans intensified strikes on Dnipro bridges to split Ukraine and disrupt transport links.
EU agreed to activate a special emergency mechanism to speed funding for Ukraine's urgent needs amid severe infrastructure strain in Kyiv, Dnipro, Sumy, Donetsk, and Kherson.
Russian strikes targeting Dnipro crossings risk cutting power transmission from west to east, potentially leaving millions without electricity during winter.

Warning to EU partners before Abu Dhabi talks

As first reported by the Financial Times, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a recent call that Moscow is expected to intensify strikes on crossings over the Dnipro river. People briefed on the conversation say Kyiv believes the aim is to isolate the eastern half of the country, which borders Russia, from the western half bordering the EU.

Zelenskyy and von der Leyen, in statements released Monday, also say they have coordinated positions ahead of peace talks involving Kyiv, Moscow, U.S. and EU officials scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in Abu Dhabi. The Dnipro runs from north to south through Kyiv and the south-eastern cities of Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson before reaching the Black Sea, and in the south it already forms a natural frontline between Ukrainian and Russian forces.

Zelenskyy says he informed von der Leyen about the infrastructure strain and that both sides agreed the European Union would activate a special emergency mechanism to speed funding for Ukraine's most urgent needs. He says many cities and communities are facing a very difficult situation with power, water and heating supplies because of Russian strikes, with conditions most severe in Kyiv, the Dnipro, Sumy and Donetsk regions, and Kherson.

Infrastructure risks and winter supply pressure

Disruption to bridges across the Dnipro would carry immediate consequences for both civilian transport and the electricity network, as the river is a central artery linking different parts of the country. A senior Ukrainian official says the Russian plan is not only to cut Ukraine in two, but also to interrupt electricity distribution from western regions to the east, a step that could leave millions without power in midwinter.

The warning comes as parts of Kyiv are experiencing hours-long blackouts and traffic jams, underlining how Russia is intensifying pressure on Ukraine's energy system, transport corridors and military supply routes. Any sustained campaign against major river crossings would deepen those vulnerabilities by complicating repairs, slowing logistics and increasing the cost of maintaining essential services across the country.

Earlier, we reported that two chemical tankers caught fire near the Danube canal approach, with seven crew members missing.

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