Pivdennyi Bridge damaged as Russia fires 16 ballistic missiles at Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia launched 16 ballistic missiles and more than 280 drones at Ukraine during the night of October 26 and 27. The attack targeted energy infrastructure, logistics hubs, and urban areas across multiple regions. The Pivdennyi Bridge in Kyiv sustained direct hits, marking a key logistical target for Russian forces.

Emergency services responded to a strike on a university campus and surrounding area on the evening of October 26. Twelve people were injured in that initial wave, including five students and staff members. Russian forces launched the ballistic missiles while rescue crews were still managing the aftermath of the first strike.

Zelenskyy identified strikes in Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, Chernihiv, Sumy, Donetsk, Kherson, and Chernivtsi oblasts. Ukrainian air defense units reported destroying or jamming 257 aerial assets by 9:00 AM on October 27. This total included two Iskander-M or S-400 ballistic missiles and 255 various drones, some of which were jet-powered.

The president linked the attack to stalled air defense supplies. He stated that artificial and prolonged delays in delivering interceptor packages for Patriot and NASAMS systems are helping Russia achieve its campaign goals. Zelenskyy noted that Kyiv had waited nearly a month for US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to sign off on these missile systems.

Zelenskyy instructed his team to reopen discussions with the US side regarding the deliveries. The Russian attack used Iskander-M and S-400 ballistic missiles alongside Shahed, Gerbera, and Parodiya decoy drones. Kyiv served as the primary target for the overnight offensive.