KYIV – Russia struck a bridge in Kyiv on Oct 4 soon after Germany’s chancellor arrived in Ukraine’s capital on a surprise visit to demonstrate European support in the face of an upsurge in attacks.

Air raid sirens blared across Kyiv, urging residents to shelter, soon after Friedrich Merz’s arrival under tight security, with warnings of approaching Russian attack drones.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko then confirmed that a strike had damaged the road surface on the Northern Bridge – one of several connecting the eastern and western parts of the city over the Dnipro river which have been struck in recent days.

Images posted on messaging channels appeared to show a missile slamming into the structure, sending a fireball into the air.

Klitschko has said that Kyiv – largely spared from the devastation wrought near the frontlines in nearly five years of conflict – should now be on a war footing due to the upsurge in attacks.

A spate of round-the-clock attacks has hit residential areas, petrol stations, schools, rail and communications infrastructure.

Merz said the country “needs all our support in the coming weeks”.

“If Russia is not stopped, its war machine will sooner or later turn against us,” he added.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly urged Ukraine’s Western allies for more military support, including advanced interceptors to shoot down Russia’s new fast-moving, jet-powered drones.

Merz and Zelensky were due to meet and government sources in Berlin said they were expected to agree a new package of military support worth more than US$1 billion (S$1.3 billion).

It includes combat drones and satellite technology to help Ukraine hit Russian launch sites, as well as for the joint production of anti-jet drones, the German sources said.

“This support addresses the most significant current gap in Ukra...