Ukraine says it attacked Crimean Bridge, as Russia halts traffic
Kyiv’s agents detonated mines on underwater supports, targeting a key transport link between the annexed peninsula and the Russian mainland
Ukraine said it attacked the Crimean Bridge with explosives as Russia closed traffic on the route linking the annexed Black Sea peninsula with the Russian mainland.
Agents planted mines on underwater supports and detonated them on Tuesday, the Ukrainian Security Service, known as the SBU, said in a statement on Telegram. The SBU said the operation took place over several months and left the bridge in an emergency condition, which could not be independently verified.
Russia closed traffic on the bridge for a second time on Tuesday, without explaining the reason for the suspension, the Interfax news agency reported. The bridge was originally closed for more than three hours starting in the morning local time, the report said.
Maritime passenger transportation was temporarily suspended in Sevastopol, the city’s road and transport infrastructure authority said, also without explaining what prompted the interruption, according to Interfax.
The attack comes amid an increase in Kyiv’s strikes on Russian military and infrastructure targets, including one of Ukraine’s most audacious aerial attacks inside the country.
It also comes one day after talks held in Istanbul failed to bring the Kremlin’s more-than-three-year-long invasion of Ukraine any closer to an end.