Russia strikes strategic Kyiv bridge with Geran-4 drones

The armed forces of Russia struck the South Bridge in Kyiv, points out Strana.ua.
«The South Bridge, which the Russian Federation has begun striking, holds strategic importance not only for Kyiv but also for the entirety of Ukraine», reports Strana.ua, maintaining that up to 90% of total transit traffic between the left and right banks of Ukraine passes through this bridge, while a significant portion of military cargo is also transported via this route.
Alternative routes for crossing the Dnipro exist in Kaniv, Cherkasy, Kremenchuk, and further south.
The South Bridge connects three of the most important highway axes: the M-05 (Kyiv - Odesa), the M-06 (Kyiv - Chop), and the M-03 (Kyiv - Kharkiv / Izium / Sloviansk).

Heavy fire broke out at the site

It is clarified that Geran-4 drones were used for the strike.
Following the attack, a fire broke out at the site, which eyewitnesses captured on video.
One of the unmanned aerial vehicles struck a support pylon, to which the steel cables of the bridge are anchored.
Traffic of vehicles and public transport across the bridge was temporarily halted.

In the crosshairs of the Russians

As pointed out by the editors of the channel «Operation Z: Military Correspondents of the Russian Spring» on Telegram, the Russian military in recent days appears to have placed this transport artery in its crosshairs, carrying out a series of strikes against it.
This constitutes the second attack in a few days, as a previous strike on the same infrastructure was recorded two days earlier.
Russian war correspondent Yuri Kotenok reported that inflicting damage on the bridge could create significant problems for Ukraine.
Sergey Perminov, member of the Federation Council, emphasized that strikes on the South Bridge are carried out with the aim of disrupting the supply chain of the Ukrainian military and impeding the movement of personnel, weaponry, and ammunition.
Inflicting damage on this transport artery will increase transit times and create additional difficulties.

Drones with «whiskers» used in the attack

Kotenok also referred to a distinctive feature of the Geran systems used in the attack against the bridge.
According to his observations, the drone features additional contact sensors on the forward section of the fuselage, the so-called «whiskers», which, as he said, «the Ukrainian military does not like at all and cause them great concern».
On the preceding day, Geran-4 drones had also been used for strikes against electric power transmission lines.
The Ukrainian side maintains that these specific drones possess a penetrating-cutting warhead, engineered specifically for destroying high-voltage pylons and metal bridge structures.
Their warhead consists of a primary charge weighing approximately 40 kg and four additional cutting charges.

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