Russia warned foreign nationals and diplomats that they faced 'mortal danger' if they travelled to Ukraine. The following day, Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv for an unannounced visit intended to underline Germany’s military and financial support.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha greeted the German chancellor on the train platform on the morning of 4 October 2026. Merz was accompanied by Germany’s Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Katherina Reiche, and 10 business leaders from the defence and energy sectors.
That morning, a Russian drone hit Kyiv’s North Bridge, also known as Pivnichnyi Bridge, for the second day running. The bridge is about 4 kilometres from the main railway station and city centre.
Video verified by the BBC showed the drone crashing into the bridge and exploding, leaving a gaping hole in the middle of a traffic lane. A plume of fire and black smoke rose from the impact site as cars continued to cross the bridge.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram on Sunday morning that the bridge had been struck, after reporting drone alarms during the early hours. Air raid sirens sounded several times during Merz’s visit, and debris from a downed flying object fell on to a residential building in the early hours.
The bridge attack formed part of a wider run of strikes on Kyiv’s crossings. Major bridges in the city have been hit by Russian drones for four consecutive days, while the Pivdennyi, or Southern, Bridge was struck multiple times earlier in the week.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia had launched 135 drones overnight, including 52 jet-powered ones, and that 125 projectiles had been shot down.
Later, Merz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Kyiv’s National Academy of Sciences, which a Russian drone had struck in the middle of the day the previous Monday. The attack destroyed two floors of the historic building, killed one woman and injured around six people.
The German embassy building stands around 140 metres from the academy impact point.
At the ruins, Merz said: 'These are daily war crimes being committed here.'
He called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the attacks and enter negotiations. 'Mr Putin, stop this senseless war! We are ready for talks, we are ready to speak with one another about ending this war. But these barbaric attacks on the civilian population of Ukraine must stop.'
Merz added: 'If Russia is not stopped, its war machine will sooner or later turn against us.'
On X, he wrote: 'Ukraine is facing decisive weeks. That is why I travelled to Kyiv today with the message: You can rely on us. Germany's security also depends on the outcome of this war. That is why we are helping out of our own self-interest as well.'
Zelenskyy said Germany and Ukraine had agreed a new aid package worth more than €1.3 billion. Merz was also set to announce a military package that would reportedly include interceptors capable of hitting Russian jet-powered drones.
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