The Paton Bridge in Kyiv has reached the end of its service life and has been declared unfit for use, according to the National Academy of Sciences.
This was reported by The Public with reference to the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
According to Vyacheslav Bogdanov, academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and first vice-president of the Academy, the Ukrainian Institute of Steel Structures named after V.M. Shimanovsky and the Institute of Electric Welding named after E.O. Paton of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine analysed the technical condition of bridges and found that the Paton Bridge is among those that are considered inoperable.
Scientists also called the Metro Bridge unusable, while the North and South Bridges were determined to be of limited usability, and the Darnytskyi Bridge was determined to be usable.
The Paton Bridge has been classified as unsafe since 2017. Experts have recorded critical corrosion damage to load-bearing structures, in particular the main and cross beams, as well as cracks in the joints.
The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine noted that the metal of the cross beams supporting the roadway has corroded significantly. At the same time, the main beams remain in a relatively stable condition, allowing the bridge to continue operating with restrictions.
According to scientists' estimates, the bridge's remaining service life is zero, and it is impossible to predict the further development of corrosion processes.
In early 2026, the National Committee of Ukraine on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics appealed to the government with proposals for organising and financing the major repair of the bridge. Experts from the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine expressed their readiness to join in solving the problem and provide expert support.
Earlier, Kyiv also began major repairs of the Metro Bridge, which is in critical condition. The completion of the first stage of work is scheduled for 2026.
