Ukraine announced on Tuesday that it had struck the Crimean Bridge—linking Russia to the occupied Crimean Peninsula—using explosives placed underwater. This marks the third attack on the critical supply route since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
Ukraine’s security service, the SBU, stated via Telegram that its operatives had planted and later detonated charges on the bridge’s underwater pillars at 4:44 a.m. The operation, it said, had taken months to prepare.
According to the SBU, the blast involved 1,100 kilograms of explosives and caused significant damage to the structural supports beneath the bridge, which carries both road and rail traffic.
Russian officials have yet to comment on Ukraine’s claims. However, the bridge operator confirmed on Telegram that traffic had been temporarily suspended.
While the full extent of the damage remains unclear, the strike is part of an ongoing campaign by the SBU to undermine Moscow’s war effort. On Sunday, the agency launched a separate drone strike on Russia’s fleet of nuclear-capable bombers, stationed far from Ukrainian territory.
SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk said the weekend assault damaged 34% of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers and caused around $7 billion in losses. He also oversaw Tuesday’s bridge operation.
“God loves the Trinity, and the SBU always finishes what it starts—we never repeat ourselves,” Malyuk said. “We’ve previously targeted the Crimean Bridge in 2022 and 2023. Today, we continued the tradition—this time from below.”
Malyuk defended the attack, calling the bridge a “legitimate military target” due to its use in transporting Russian troops and equipment into Ukraine.
Beyond its logistical importance, the bridge holds deep symbolic value for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Constructed after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and opened by Putin in 2018, the $3.7 billion project was meant to physically and politically link Crimea to Russia.
This latest strike follows earlier attacks in October 2022, when a fuel truck explosion caused a massive fire, and in July 2023, when the SBU claimed it used a sea drone to hit the bridge. On both occasions, Russia moved swiftly to carry out repairs.
In addition to suspending bridge traffic, Russian authorities also temporarily halted maritime activity near Sevastopol, Crimea’s largest city, according to state outlet RIA Novosti.
