Intensified Russian strikes are tearing Kyiv apart, warns mayor

Intensified Russian drone and missile strikes are "tearing Kyiv apart", the mayor of Ukraine's capital has warned.

Vitaliy Klitschko said the city was now in a "very dramatic situation" as Moscow was battering its "critical infrastructure, logistics, housing" and other key facilities.

He was speaking after Kyiv's defence council held a crisis meeting, following new Russian strikes on a key bridge that caused traffic chaos. The city's data centres have also been recently hit, resulting in internet outages.

President Vladimir Putin earlier said Russia was acting in response to Ukraine's strikes on Russian energy facilities, despite the fact that it was Moscow that had first launched such attacks.

"We're talking about survival," Klitschko said at Friday's defence council meeting with Kyiv's top military, security, emergencies and police officials.

Russia's aim was to "sow panic", he said, stressing that the capital would "prevail - but only through the joint efforts of those who love it and care for it".

The mayor was speaking just hours after Kyiv's key Pivdennyi (Southern) bridge was hit in an overnight Russian drone attack. On Friday evening it was struck again - the fourth time in two days.

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