Ukraine has struck the Kerch Bridge—Crimea’s only direct connection to mainland Russia—with a powerful underwater explosion, delivering a significant blow to one of Moscow’s most strategic and symbolic assets. The attack, which occurred early Tuesday, June, marks the third time Ukraine has targeted the bridge since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.
Ukrainian officials say the operation took months of planning, with,100 kilograms of explosives placed beneath the bridge’s underwater supports and detonated at:44 a.m. local time. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) released video footage showing the moment of the blast, claiming the bridge’s pillars sustained severe damage.
Traffic across the 19-kilometer structure was halted for several hours but later resumed, according to Russian authorities. Russian military bloggers and officials have downplayed the extent of the damage, insisting the bridge remains operational, though Ukrainian sources describe it as being in a “state of emergency”.
The Kerch Bridge, inaugurated by President Vladimir Putin in 2018, is a critical supply route for Russian forces occupying southern Ukraine and a potent symbol of Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. Ukrainian officials maintain the bridge is a legitimate military target, emphasizing its role in sustaining Russian military operations.
This latest strike follows a series of bold Ukrainian attacks on Russian military infrastructure and comes amid renewed fighting in several regions. The incident underscores the ongoing vulnerability of key Russian supply lines and raises fresh questions about the security of Moscow’s grip on Crimea.
