In a strategic hit to Russian supply lines, Ukraine attacked the Kerch Bridge—connecting the Russian mainland with occupied Crimea—for the third time, employing 1,100 kilograms of underwater explosives, in a report provided by Euronews. The Kerch Bridge, built by Moscow after its 2014 annexation of Crimea, serves as a crucial military supply route for Russian troops fighting in southern Ukraine. The assault, launched in the early hours of Tuesday, represents a fresh Ukrainian bid to interfere with key infrastructure within Russian-held territory.
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) published video evidence of the underwater explosion. In an official statement published on Telegram, the agency said that months of preparation led up to the attack, including the time when underwater pillars of the bridge were mined by SBU operatives.
The explosives—amounting to more than a ton of TNT—were ignited at 4:44 a.m. local time. The explosion resulted in no civilian deaths, the agency confirmed.
“Third Time’s a Charm,” Declares SBU Chief
SBU Chief Vasyl Maliuk, who oversaw the operation, termed it successful and reaffirmed Ukraine’s position on Crimea.
“Crimea is Ukraine, and any acts of occupation will be dealt with harshly,” he stated.
“Third time’s a charm. The SBU always finishes its plans and never repeats itself,” Maliuk added.
This is the third successful attack on the bridge, which had earlier been damaged by blasts in October 2022 and July 2023.
Ukraine’s SBU security service behind the audacious drone attack deep inside Russia now says it has attacked the Kerch bridge in occupied Crimea in a months-long operation. It says SBU agents “mined the supports” of the bridge with 1,100kg of TNT under the water line…
— Saint Javelin (@saintjavelin)
After the recent strike, traffic on the Kerch Bridge was halted on Tuesday morning. Russian Telegram media first reported the bridge closure due to debris from drones on the road. The Russian Defence Ministry said it had destroyed three Ukrainian drones over Crimea at night, but it did not explicitly confirm the bridge attack.
The Kerch Bridge continues to be of prime importance to Russia, both logistically and symbolically—a pillar of its assertion of jurisdiction over Crimea. Even with heightened security and fortifications since previous attempts at damage, Ukraine’s capacity to attack the bridge demonstrates its ongoing reach and operational capabilities well into Russian-occupied territory.
The attack occurred one day before a second round of direct negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul, CNN reported. The session was short—less than an hour—and produced little momentum. The two sides are said to have agreed on a new prisoner exchange, but talks over a possible ceasefire are stuck.
Monday also witnessed Ukraine launch a surprise drone attack against Russian nuclear-capable bombers, boosting a week of growing military and diplomatic tensions.
As the war drags on, Tuesday’s precision strike marks Kyiv’s determination to target strategic infrastructure, as well as sending a clear signal about its territorial claims over Crimea.
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