Kyiv plans eight backup crossings across the Dnipro in case bridges are damaged

Kyiv authorities are preparing eight backup crossings across the Dnipro with a total length of about 12 kilometers. Two of them have been designated as top priority, with the first openings expected in early 2027. The impetus was damage to the Southern Bridge after a drone strike on October 1.

Otabek YusupovFirst published on tafs uz 5 November 2026 at 18:212 min read

The key facts

Kyiv has chosen locations for eight backup crossings across the Dnipro, two of them top priority
Total length is about 12 km, with two lanes for cars and a walkway for pedestrians
The first crossings are expected to open in early 2027; the nationwide program calls for 21 crossings

Plan for backup crossings

Kyiv plans to build eight backup crossings across the Dnipro to keep the banks connected in case bridges are damaged. This was reported to the outlet Babel by the head of the Recovery Agency of Ukraine, Ivan Fedorov, commenting on the condition of the Southern Bridge after strikes which, according to Life.ru's wording, were carried out to stop the transfer of equipment and reserves of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Two crossings have been designated as top priority. Locations for all the sites have already been chosen, but the authorities are not disclosing them for security reasons.

Parameters and timelines

The total length of the Kyiv crossings will be about 12 kilometers. Each will have two lanes for cars, and pedestrians will be able to use them as well. According to Minister of Recovery, Infrastructure and Transport Mykola Kalashnyk, the first crossings in Kyiv are expected to open in early 2027. The Kyiv sites are part of a government program under which 21 alternative river crossings are planned to be built in various regions of Ukraine.

Context: damage to the Southern Bridge

The impetus for the plan was the condition of the Southern Bridge — the main route from one bank of the Dnipro to the other; one line of the Kyiv metro also runs across it. On October 1, Ukrainian authorities stated that two drones had hit the bridge's support structure, after which traffic was closed. The city administration warned at the time that full restoration was unlikely to be possible in a short time. Thus, the announced crossings remain, for now, a plan with chosen sites and a stated date for the first openings — not an already implemented replacement for the damaged crossing.