Kyiv Under Siege: Mayor Says Russia is ‘Tearing the Capital Apart’ as Strikes Paralyze Traffic

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, of tearing up the rulebook of armed conflict by authorizing massive strikes on civilian infrastructure—a charge the Kremlin has swiftly rejected.

The protracted conflict, initiated by Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, has primarily centered on grueling ground battles in the east, leaving the capital city of Kyiv largely untouched by the severe destruction seen near the frontlines—until recently.

However, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has declared that the capital must immediately transition to a war footing.

“The capital is in an incredibly dramatic situation,” Klitschko wrote on his official Telegram channel. “We can no longer pretend that we can continue to live as we did in peacetime.”

“The enemy is actively tearing Kyiv apart,” he added.

His stark warning came as local authorities were forced to shut down one of Kyiv’s major bridges and impose severe restrictions on another, following a fresh wave of deadly strikes launched by fast-moving, jet-powered drones.

Traffic severely disrupted

Miles of stationary cars and buses became gridlocked on major thoroughfares as desperate commuters scrambled to find alternative routes, with some even resorting to traveling on foot.

“I’ve been traveling for three hours just to get to work,” said Tetiana Osypenko, a 49-year-old seamstress, whose bus became trapped in a massive traffic jam.

“There is simply no way to get there. Nothing is working. It is absolutely impossible to cross the bridges today,” she lamented.

Traffic congestion worsened due to the complete closure of the Southern Bridge to all vehicular traffic in both directions. This bridge is one of eight critical crossings spanning the Dnipro River, linking the eastern and western sectors of Kyiv.

The cable-stayed structure has sustained multiple impacts since Thursday, with Mayor Klitschko confirming additional strikes on Friday afternoon.

Further north, the Paton Bridge was restricted to one-way traffic only, although there were no immediate reports of it being directly hit.

On the social media platform X, Zelensky accused Putin of declaring last month that there are “no rules anymore,” citing unnamed intelligence sources and individuals close to the Russian leader.

“The Russians could not occupy us. So now they are resorting to massive attacks and mass killings,” Zelensky stated during remarks initially published in an interview with the Financial Times.

The Kremlin has yet to issue an immediate public response to these specific allegations.

Constant threat of aerial bombardment

In recent months, Kyiv has faced escalating aerial bombardments, placing the city under near-constant alert and severely disrupting the daily lives of its residents.

Air raid sirens warning of impending aerial threats now sound almost around the clock, repeatedly urging the city’s estimated three million residents to seek immediate shelter.

Repeated strikes on trains and petrol stations have already damaged the rail and road networks, while targeted attacks on energy facilities threaten vital power and heating supplies as the harsh winter approaches.

Osypenko explained that previous disruptions to subway services during air raids have previously forced her to spend the night in a metro station near the Southern Bridge.

The loss of income further compounds the immense financial pressures caused by the war, she added. “You just spend the whole day feeling completely beaten down.”

The most recent Russian assault resulted in one fatality and at least two injuries when a 25-story residential building was struck in southeastern Kyiv.

In the eastern city of Kharkiv, Russian shelling struck residential areas, killing two people and injuring dozens more, according to local mayor Igor Terekhov, who reported the incident on Telegram.

Demanding ‘political will’

Zelensky has called for stricter international sanctions to halt Russia’s ability to manufacture jet-powered drones, which are significantly more difficult to intercept.

He noted on social media on Friday that Russia’s production of these weapons remains “critically dependent” on foreign components.

“Every Russian drone can be stopped right at the production line. All that is required is the political will of these countries,” he emphasized.

Zelensky has repeatedly urged Ukraine’s Western allies to provide increased military support, specifically requesting additional US-made Patriot missile interceptors.

On Thursday, Zelensky announced that Ukraine had deployed its FP-7 tactical ballistic missile in combat for the first time, though he declined to disclose the target or location of the strike.

He also revealed that Ukraine is currently testing five of its domestically developed interceptor systems designed to counter drone threats.

On Friday, the Ukrainian military confirmed strikes on an oil refinery in Volgograd and another facility in Samara, both located in southwestern Russia, which were allegedly supplying fuel to Russian forces.

Kyiv has also dismissed reports suggesting that its fleet of F-16 fighter jets—another crucial asset in countering jet-powered drones—might be grounded due to delays in maintenance inspections and parts supply.

However, Zelensky told the Financial Times that approximately half of Ukraine’s fighter jet fleet is undergoing extended maintenance periods in Europe.

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