Russia orders foreign diplomats to leave Kyiv as strikes disable Dnipro river bridges
The Russian foreign ministry warned that individuals in Kyiv face mortal danger from continuing strikes, following drone and missile attacks that disabled two bridges across the Dnipro river.
Diplomatic evacuation warning from Moscow
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official warning on 3 October 2026 calling on foreign diplomats and foreign nationals residing in Kyiv to leave the Ukrainian capital immediately. The ministry stated that it had previously advised foreign citizens to evacuate and avoid travelling to Ukraine, expressing concern that some individuals continue to stay in the city. Russian officials declared that anyone remaining in Kyiv is knowingly exposing themselves to mortal danger. According to the diplomatic notice, the Russian military will continue conducting large-scale retaliatory strikes against military targets in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. The ministry emphasized that the Ukrainian government and individuals who ignore the departure warning must bear sole responsibility for any resulting harm.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will continue to deliver massive retaliatory strikes.
Dnipro river bridges targeted by drone barrages
The evacuation directive follows intensified bombardments aimed directly at Kyiv's municipal transport network. On the morning of 3 October 2026, Russian forces struck the Northern Bridge over the Dnipro river following an air alert. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that emergency response teams were dispatched to the site after the explosion damaged the road surface and severed overhead electrical cables used by the municipal trolleybus network.
Northern Bridge has been hit. Emergency services are heading to the scene.
The damage halted all vehicular movement across the Northern Bridge from the left bank to the right bank. This strike took place one day after city authorities were forced to close the Southern Bridge on 2 October 2026. That cable-stayed crossing, which represents one of only eight river crossings linking eastern and western Kyiv, sustained multiple hits beginning on 1 October 2026. A subsequent wave of attacks involving fast-moving, jet-powered drones disabled the Southern Bridge and led authorities to restrict movement on another nearby crossing. The resulting disruptions created severe traffic congestion, leaving long queues of stationary buses and cars across major thoroughfares while commuters crossed the river on foot.
- Strikes repeatedly hit the cable-stayed structure of Kyiv's Southern Bridge.
- Authorities close the Southern Bridge following drone attacks as Mayor Klitschko calls for a war footing.
- Strikes disable the Northern Bridge and Russia warns foreign diplomats to evacuate Kyiv.
Winter logistics risks and cross-border strikes
Klitschko stated on 2 October 2026 that Kyiv needs to be placed on a war footing. He stated that Russian strikes are tearing the capital apart through systematic attacks on bridges and municipal logistics. Ukrainian authorities also expressed concern that these strikes precede renewed attacks on the electrical grid as winter arrives, referencing the disruption caused during the winter of 2025.
President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of ripping up the rules of armed conflict by authorizing strikes against civilian zones, a charge rejected by the Kremlin. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces maintained cross-border drone strikes against Russian energy infrastructure. Those attacks have hit oil refineries and fuel depots, leading to fuel shortages across Russia during the summer of 2026, alongside strikes on cargo ships and commercial warehouses.
