Ostriv under siege: Russia targets lifeline bridge in Kherson, risking total isolation of historic neighborhood

Russia’s latest aerial strikes on Kherson threaten to cut off one of the city’s most historically symbolic and vulnerable neighborhoods known as Ostriv (Korabel) that was once home to families, factories, parks, and schools, but which now has been reduced to a war-torn island that is under fire. 

Russian aircraft on Aug. 2 dropped two guided aerial bombs on the bridge that connects Kherson’s city center to Ostriv (Island), which sits on the Quarantine Island between the Dnipro and Kosheva rivers. 

The bridge, which is the neighborhood’s only link to the mainland, remains standing but now has a large crater that makes vehicle travel impossible. City officials are warning of potential food shortages, medical aid, or evacuation routes and are urging residents to evacuate to other parts of Kherson.

“This area used to represent the beating heart of working-class Kherson,” said Mykhailo Lynetskyi, head of the district administration. “Now, even its last artery is at risk of being severed.”

Russian forces have also been conducting what’s been labeled as a “human safari” campaign whereby they use drones to specifically target civilians in Kherson, a southern river and seaport city situated along the Dnipro river.

A 65-year-old man was killed the following day after the air strike. 

The attacks have also damaged a local gas pipeline and disrupted access to the area. 

Ostriv was submerged in June 2023 when Russian forces destroyed the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Plant, and since Kherson’s liberation, the neighborhood has faced relentless shelling from Russian artillery, tanks, and drones.

“Before the full-scale invasion, the area had four factories, three schools, five kindergartens, a riverside park, shops, and postal offices,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

Now, only around 15 percent of the pre-war population remains, according to Viktor Totskyi, head of a local apartment owners’ association in Korabel.

A few shops are still operating in the area, but there are no pharmacies or bank branches. Delivering humanitarian aid has become increasingly difficult.

“Ostriv has always been a logistical challenge, even in peacetime,” said Mykhailo Lynetskyi, head of the Kherson District Administration, in an interview with state broadcaster Suspilne. “The only artery connecting it to the city is that very bridge over the Kosheva River.”

Officials warn that if the bridge is completely destroyed, Korabel will be cut off from the rest of Kherson. There is no other safe route in or out, as Russian drones continue to target the crossing.

Residents could be left without access to food, humanitarian aid, or medical care.

Russia attacks Ukrainian cities and villages daily. The Ukrainian World Congress publishes news on the largest shelling incidents. More detailed information on the consequences of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, read the Victory Chronicles.