The key facts
- Volodymyr Kreidenko admits Kyiv could be transport-wise split into two banks if infrastructure damage continues
- 2.2 billion hryvnias have been allocated for two pontoon bridges; they are expected in February — early March 2027
- On the morning of November 10, Kyiv again saw a traffic collapse due to restrictions on the Northern Bridge
Rada deputy's warning
Kyiv risks effectively splitting into two separate cities — the left and right banks of the Dnipro — if damage to bridges continues and the metro remains shut down for a long time. This warning was issued by Volodymyr Kreidenko, deputy chairman of the Verkhovna Rada committee on transport and infrastructure; his words were reported by UNIAN (citing him Life.ru also writes about this). According to the deputy, the situation will become critical if strikes keep damaging critical infrastructure and the city authorities fail to prepare alternative routes: communication between the banks will be seriously hampered.
Pontoon crossings and their limitations
To solve the problem, two temporary pontoon bridges are planned. 2.2 billion hryvnias have been allocated for them: 1.2 billion from the state budget and another billion from the Kyiv authorities. The crossings are expected in February — early March 2027. Kreidenko doubts their effectiveness: currently about 600,000 vehicles cross Kyiv's bridges daily, and the project has been tasked with handling at least half of that flow — 300,000 cars per day — but the deputy is not sure that two crossings can cope. He sees a separate threat in a possible prolonged shutdown of the metro: additional bus routes and the Kyiv City Express urban trains, in his assessment, will not replace the underground line connecting the banks. To prevent the city from splitting, he called for organizing inspections of damaged bridges, informing residents in a timely manner, and arranging alternative routes.
Current situation on the roads
Problems are already showing: on the morning of November 10, Kyiv once again saw a large-scale traffic collapse due to restrictions on the Northern Bridge. After the crossing was damaged, the authorities left only one lane for passenger transport toward the right bank, the redistribution of traffic caused jams on other bridges, and the day before, some residents crossed the Dnipro on foot (according to Life.ru). Gazeta.Ru also cites a broader warning: Yaroslavskyi, an officer of the Assault Troops Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stated that Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa could become unfit for life after winter if a truce is not reached.
