Reports have emerged stating that the Crimean Bridge, a crucial infrastructure linking the Crimean Peninsula with mainland Russia, was damaged in what media outlets are calling a joint “special operation” carried out by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and naval forces. The Russian authorities have yet to provide an official statement regarding the cause of the incident, leaving many questions unanswered.
According to an undisclosed source for RBK Ukraina, the attack on the Crimean Bridge involved an unspecified number of sea surface drones. The source revealed that reaching the bridge proved challenging, but ultimately the mission was accomplished.
While Ukrainian officials have expressed satisfaction with the incident, they have not officially confirmed any direct involvement in the reported attack. Andrey Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence, referred to the Crimean Bridge as a “redundant construction” but declined to provide further details.
In the early hours of Monday, traffic on the bridge was abruptly halted, citing an unspecified “emergency” by Crimean Governor Sergey Aksyonov. Later, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov announced that a married couple from his region had tragically lost their lives in the incident, and their daughter sustained injuries.
The Russian Ministry of Transport reported that the road surface of one of the bridge’s tracks was damaged, while the bridge supports remained intact.
It is worth noting that Ukraine has been accused by Moscow of attempting to target this strategically important link in the past. Just last week, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that Kiev had tried to strike the bridge with a missile but failed due to the robust air defenses in place.
In October of last year, the Crimean Bridge was also damaged in a devastating truck bombing, which Moscow attributed to Ukrainian intelligence services. In response, Russia escalated its missile strikes on Ukraine’s military and energy infrastructure.
As investigations into the recent incident unfold, both the Russian and Ukrainian governments are expected to provide more information to shed light on the mysterious circumstances surrounding the damage to the Crimean Bridge.
