Russia strikes Kyiv's northern bridge in a new tactic to disrupt life in the Ukrainian capital

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian strike damaged Kyiv’s Northern Bridge early Saturday, suspending traffic and causing tailbacks for a third day, in Moscow's latest effort to disrupt life in the Ukrainian capital.

The strike came a day after Russian assaults forced the full or partial closure of three of Kyiv’s six road bridges over the Dnipro River. Previously, Russia has hit apartment blocks, supermarket warehouses, gas stations and data centers, among other targets, in an escalation of attacks.

Russia invaded its neighbor more than 4 ½ years ago, and there are no concrete signs that a peace settlement might be possible. Fighting along the roughly 1,250-kilometer (780-mile) front line snaking through northern, eastern and southern Ukraine has been virtually deadlocked in recent months.

Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said the strike damaged the road surface and trolleybus cables, forcing traffic to be suspended. There were no casualties reported.

Russia’s Defense Ministry on Saturday confirmed it was behind the latest attack, claiming the bridge is used to “facilitate troop movements and the logistics of military cargo deliveries” for Ukraine’s armed forces.

Videos circulating on social media appeared to show the moment of impact as vehicles crossed the bridge, including footage purportedly recorded by a driver's dashcam.

The aerial war has intensified, with Kyiv striking Russia's oil industry and businesses while Moscow has menaced Ukrainian cities with hard-to-intercept ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu said Saturday that the war is “dangerously reaching” her country, following a spate of airspace incursions.

“I condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine this morning. Its war is dangerously reaching Moldova,” she said in a post on X, adding that five “Russian air attack weapons, including Banderol missiles and drones, violated our airspace and exploded on our soil.”

“Moscow is putting lives at risk across Europe and must be stopped,” she added.

Ukraine's air force said that Moscow overnight launched Banderol cruise missiles — low-cost, jet-powered loitering munitions that Russia uses to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses — at the Odesa region, which shares a long land border with Moldova. A loitering munition is designed to hover over an area, searching for targets, and detonate while crashing into them.

Meanwhile, people were injured after Ukrainian drones overnight struck the city of Kaluga in western Russia, damaging apartment buildings, according to regional Gov. Vladislav Shapsha. He did not immediately give any figures, but reported that 13 drones were shot down over the region during the night.

Associated Press writer Stephen McGrath in Coventry, England, contributed to this report.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Rescue workers clear the rubble of a residential house destroyed in a Russian air strike on Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrii Marienko)

A rescue worker extinguishes a fire at a residential house destroyed by a Russian airstrike in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026.(AP Photo/Andrii Marienko)

People clear rubble from a residential house damaged by a Russian airstrike in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrii Marienko)

A man cries next to the body of his grandmother killed in a Russian airstrike on a residential neighborhood in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrii Marienko)

SEPANG, Malaysia (AP) — Max Verstappen qualified on pole position for the first time this year at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia on a rare off day for Mercedes and Formula 1 standings leader Kimi Antonelli.

Verstappen went fastest by 0.298 of a second from Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, with Verstappen's Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar .130 further back in third.

It was an “incredible result for us looking at the season,” Verstappen said. “I felt good, felt confident and I hope we can show that again tomorrow.”

Verstappen won the last time F1 raced at the Sepang circuit back in 2017. His pole position is the first this year for a car powered by a non-Mercedes engine.

Antonelli qualified only fourth, with his Mercedes teammate and closest title challenger George Russell only eighth. Both are set to move up a place on the grid for Sunday's race because Hadjar has a five-place grid penalty for changing his engine over the allocation for the season.

Hamilton's second place came as a relief to the seven-time champion amid a slump in results at Ferrari, which has denied speculation over team principal Fred Vasseur's future.

“Let’s go guys, let’s go. Finally,” Hamilton said over the radio.

Once again, the weather in Malaysia stayed dry for Saturday's sessions despite predictions of heavy rain earlier in the week.

F1 is racing at Malaysia's Sepang circuit for the first time since 2017. It's a replacement event after the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were called off earlier this year due to the Iran war. The race keeps Bahrain Grand Prix branding and Bahraini staff are organizing it on site.

See AP’s full auto racing coverage here

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain drinks after the qualifying session ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Second fastest time Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain waves to spectators after the qualifying session ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, pole position, talks with his teammate Isack Hadjar of France, third fastest time after the qualifying session ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands prepares during the third practice session at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the qualifying session ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)