Ukraine says it hit Crimea bridge with underwater explosives

The Ukraine Safety Service (SBU) said that it managed to strike the Crimean bridge with underwater explosives following a “several months” operation.

The SBU said that his agents had “extracted the support” from the bridge with 1,100 kg of explosives which “damaged seriously” from the lower level of the support.

The “first explosive device” was activated early Tuesday morning “without any civilian victim,” added the SBU. The information shared by the SBU could not be immediately verified.

The Russian media initially declared that the bridge had been briefly closed to traffic, but that it had reopened at 10:00 am local time (08:00 GMT).

However, later in the day, local authorities warned that the bridge was closed again.

Unbeatable reports on social networks have indicated that more explosions had occurred around the structure.

The official telegram canal sharing operational updates on the bridge said: “We ask people on the bridge and in the inspection area to stay calm and follow the instructions for transport security officers.”

Russia has not yet commented on Tuesday morning’s attack, but Russian military bloggers have hypothesized that a underwater drone, rather than explosive, had struck a protective barrier.

The SBU said that its director, lieutenant-general Vasyl Malyuk, has personally supervised the operation and coordinated his planning.

In a telegram post, he quoted Malyuk saying that Ukraine had struck the Crimea bridge in 2022 And 2023 And was therefore “to continue this tradition underwater”.

“No illegal Russian installation has a place in the territory of our state,” said Malyuk.

“Consequently, the Crimean Bridge is an absolutely legitimate target, especially since the enemy used it as a logistical artery to provide its troops.”

The bridge – also known as Kerch Bridge – was built by Russia after invading and annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014. It was inaugurated by Russian President Vladimir Putin largely with fanfare in 2018.

In Ukraine, the bridge is a hated symbol of Russian occupation. Moscow carefully keeps it – which makes it an attack, whether with drones or underwater explosives, a remarkable achievement.

Tuesday’s strike on bridge is just 48 hours after Ukraine has reached several targets through Russia as part of an operation nicknamed “Spider Web”.

Kyiv said that she had smuggled more than 100 drones in Russia and managed to deliver them near the air bases by truck drivers without mistrust.

The drones then stole trucks and attacked the precious strategic bombers of Russia in places across the country.