Zelensky Vows Proportional Retaliation for Russian Bridge Strikes

President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Sunday, Oct. 4, that Ukraine has responded and will continue to deliver proportional retaliatory strikes against Russian infrastructure. Speaking during a joint press briefing with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Kyiv, Zelensky questioned the strategic calculations behind Moscow’s intensifying strikes on civilian utilities, warning that critical Russian facilities – including telecommunications backbones in Moscow – remain vulnerable to reciprocal Ukrainian deep strikes.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “Honestly, I am not surprised by such an approach to war – hatred toward Ukraine from Russia. But I am surprised by this specific approach, because they struck our warehouses: Nova Poshta, Ukrposhta, and others. They struck, and we gave them a worthy response against Wildberries,” Zelensky told reporters. “Now they are striking bridges. Do they really think we will not respond?” Symmetrical response Zelensky highlighted that Russian forces have expanded strikes against Ukrainian civilian life-support systems, deliberately directing loitering munitions and ballistic missiles against corporate data centers and mobile telecommunications installations. The Ukrainian president warned that such actions establish a precedent for reciprocal targeting, reminding Moscow that its own infrastructure operates under identical vulnerabilities. “Does Putin not realize that mobile communications are used not only in Kyiv, in Ukraine? They are used in Moscow as well,” Zelensky said. Other Topics of Interest No EU Embassies Leaving Kyiv Despite Russian Threats, Envoy Says Katarina Mathernová confirmed 25 EU missions and the EU Delegation remain operational in Kyiv, rejecting evacuation claims following Moscow’s strike threats. “I am simply, honestly, surprised by this beastly desire to escalate every day. That is, he relies on continuous escalation; he wants this very much. This is an answer to all those who believe that one just needs to simply ask Putin and he will definitely end the war. It simply will not work.” Zelensky emphasized that Moscow’s conduct demonstrates that the Russian leadership does not seek diplomatic off-ramps, but instead uses aerial barrages to compel political concessions through intimidation ahead of the winter heating season. Consecutive strikes on Kyiv bridges The president’s warning follows two consecutive days of Russian strikes targeting Kyiv’s North Bridge, compounding structural strain across the capital’s metropolitan transport network. Earlier on Sunday morning, Russian munitions struck the road deck of the North Bridge for the second time in 24 hours, blasting a crater into the asphalt roadway spanning the Dnipro River. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that emergency services and transit engineers deployed immediately to assess structural integrity, confirming that two civilians sustained injuries in the Sunday attack, with one hospitalized and a second treated on-site. The Sunday bombardment followed a direct hit on Saturday morning, Oct. 3, when a Russian turbojet loitering munition struck the North Bridge, damaging the road surface and severing overhead electrical contact wires powering municipal trolleybuses. The consecutive hits on the North Bridge follow the complete closure of the capital’s South Bridge to vehicular traffic on Friday after repeated drone impacts damaged roadway spans, bridge piers, and structural barriers shielding the Green Line metro crossing. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.