Ukraine Strikes Russian-Built Crimea Bridge with Underwater Explosives

Operation Against Kerch Bridge

• 🇺🇦 Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) claims responsibility for a major sabotage operation targeting the Kerch Bridge.
• 🎯 The operation involved planting explosives underwater and detonating them early Tuesday morning, with the SBU stating "several months" were spent on the mission.
• 💥 Approximately 1,100kg of explosives were used, reportedly damaging the lower level of the bridge's supports.

Significance of the Kerch Bridge

• 🌉 The bridge, built by Russia after annexing Crimea in 2014, is a hated symbol of Russian occupation for Ukrainians.
• 🚀 It was a personal project of Vladimir Putin, who opened it in 2018, linking the Russian mainland to the occupied peninsula.
• 🚗 The bridge serves as a crucial logistical route for the Russian military, especially after Russia seized territory north of the Sea of Azov.

Previous Attacks and Current Impact

• 💣 This is not the first attempt to damage the bridge; Ukraine used a truck bomb in 2022, causing significant disruption.
• ⚠️ While the bridge was initially reported to have reopened shortly after the latest incident, it was reportedly closed again later in the day, possibly due to a second explosion.
• ⚡ The SBU's claims suggest Ukraine is demonstrating its ability to strike strategic Russian targets effectively, keeping the Kerch Bridge in their sights.
• 🚢 Online reports suggest the use of maritime drones, a technology Ukraine has been experimenting with, though this has not been officially confirmed.