Putin orders Surovikin to target Kyiv's key Dnieper bridges

President Vladimir Putin is said to have ordered General Szergej Szurovikin to carry out systematic destruction of the major bridges that cross the Dnieper River in Kyiv, with the explicit goal of rendering the Ukrainian capital inoperable. The directive follows a series of setbacks for Russian forces in the Donbas, where advances have been halted by stiff Ukrainian defence around Pokrovsk and Liman, leading to significant casualties and a dwindling pool of mercenary recruits.

Faced with these front-line difficulties, Moscow is redirecting its effort toward crippling key urban infrastructure to sap civilian morale and pressure the Kyiv government into negotiations. Szurovikin, previously involved in coordinated attacks on Ukraine’s energy and civilian networks, has been reinstated to oversee this new phase of the campaign. Analysts warn that the bridge attacks could exploit gaps in Ukraine’s air-defence system, heightening the urgency for Western allies to supply additional missile, radar and drone-countermeasure equipment. The upcoming weeks will reveal whether this strategy escalates the air war and whether international support can protect Kyiv’s critical links.