'Glass' pedestrian bridge in Kyiv reopens after being damaged by Russian missile attack

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced the reopening of the popular pedestrian bridge in central Kyiv on Dec. 17. The bridge, connecting two central Kyiv parks – Volodymyrska Hirka and Mariinsky Park – was damaged when one of the 84 missiles Russia launched against Ukraine on Oct. 10 hit right underneath it.

The bridge is known in the city as the "glass bridge" or "Klitschko's bridge." Parts of its floor are made of glass that famously cracked soon after Klitschko opened it in 2019.

“All of the 18 damaged floor glass units were replaced,” Klitschko said. “The railings and cables stretched along the bridge were also restored.”

On the morning of Oct. 10, Russian missiles and kamikaze drones struck central Kyiv and other major cities in Ukraine, killing 20 people and injuring 108 people, State Emergency Service spokesman Oleksandr Khorunzhyi said.

According to Ukraine’s General Staff, a total of 84 cruise missiles and 24 kamikaze drones were launched at Ukraine that day, of which 43 and 13 were shot down respectively.

It was the first largest-scale coordinated missile attack against Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began on Feb. 24. The following attacks took place on Oct. 17, Oct. 31, Nov. 15, Nov. 23, Dec. 5, and Dec. 16. They resulted in mass power outages across Ukraine, including in the capital.

During the Oct. 10 attack, many of the areas hit in Kyiv were central streets and park areas, including in front of the famous red facade of Taras Shevchenko National University and underneath the pedestrian bridge, which is located near the central Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti). The bridge has been closed for repair work since then.

“One of the symbols of our invincibility is again gladly waiting for the residents of Kyiv and guests of the capital,” Klitschko said.