Ukraine Strikes Again

Moment Ukraine hits bridge linking Crimea to Russia – video

 

"The SBU conducted a new unique special operation and struck the Crimean Bridge for the third time — this time underwater! The operation lasted several months. SBU agents mined the supports of this illegal facility. And today, without any civilian casualties, at 4:44 a.m., the first explosive device was activated!"

"The underwater supports of the piers were severely damaged at the bottom level – 1,100 kg [about 2,425 pounds] of explosives in TNT equivalent contributed to this. In fact, the bridge is in a state of emergency."

Ukraine Secret Service (SBU)

 

"God loves the Trinity, and the SBU always brings what it has conceived to the end and never repeats itself. Previously, we hit the Crimean Bridge twice in 2022 and 2023."

"So today we continued this tradition underwater. No illegal Russian facilities have a place on the territory of our state. Therefore, the Crimean Bridge is an absolutely legitimate target, especially considering that the enemy used it as a logistical artery to supply its troops."

"Crimea is Ukraine, and any manifestations of occupation will receive our tough response."

Lt. Gen. Vasyl Malyuk, SBU commander 

The bridge, pictured here in 2023, has been attacked twice before by Ukraine   Reuters

 

A mere two days after the SBU's spectacular drone attack on airbases within Russia, destroying over a dozen Russian bombers, some of them capable of carrying nuclear warheads, Ukraine's secret service has conducted yet another surprise attack, damaging the foundations of the Kerch Bridge that links Russia and the annexed Crimean -- a vital artery for conveying Russian military supplies during the conflict that Russia has imposed on Ukraine. 

 

According to the SBU 1,100 kilograms of explosives were detonated overnight on the seabed, an operation that was in the planning for months, marking the third such operation by the Ukrainian secret service. The SBU in the wake of the incident assured that "The bridge is now effectively in an emergency condition". No civilians were killed, let alone injured in the operation, the SBU was quick to point out.

 

As a result, traffic was halted for three hours early Tuesday. At 9:00 a.m., it was resumed according to official Russian social media channels. It was reported that there was a second attack, this time of drones targeting the bridge which necessitated a closure at 3:20 p.m. for a second time, before once more reopening following a period of two-and-a-half hours.

 

It is notable, and certainly must be embarrassingly worrying to Russia that active defenses around the bridge had been increased following the previous two attacks. Defenses include helicopter, surface, and bridge patrols as well as enhanced vehicle screening, additional air defences, and finally anti-diver/sabotage interdiction operations. The sense of security that must have prevailed with these additional defense mechanisms, would have suffered a shattering setback with the realization that the SBU managed to place explosives under the bridge, regardless.

 

The SBU success in evading Russian security measures and somehow managing to sabotage prime sites is no small victory. And with those victories and the sense of control they convey, they will continue planning similar such ventures, and should they manage to succeed for example, to completely destroy the bridge it would not only signify a stop to bridge traffic, but access to the Seas of Azov would be accomplished, potentially a major blow to the occupied areas around the critical body of water. 

 

Russia's Investigative Committee accuses Ukraine of causing the collapse of two bridges in Russian border regions over the weekend.  Russian Emergencies Ministry

 

As for the Russian side, a rocket attack targeted Sumy Tuesday, located on Ukraine's northeastern region. Four people died, 25 others were wounded, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the assault on civilian infrastructure, typical of Russian strikes, represented a display of contempt for the possibility of a peace process going forward at the urging of the Trump administration. Moscow, he emphasized, has no intention of putting a stop to the three-year-old war.

 

Direct peace talks in Istanbul have not progressed to negotiations that could be regarded as sincere on Russia's part; it is interested only in prolonging the war, to enable Russian troops to seize ever greater portions of Ukrainian territory, so that in the event at a future date that negotiations resumed in earnest, Moscow could anticipate a settlement that would leave captured Ukrainian territory in Russian possession, in exchange for a withdrawal of its troops from the areas of Ukraine remaining intact in Ukrainian hands. 

"[The attack on Sumy was a] completely deliberate [strike on civilians. That's all you need to know about Russia's 'desire' to end this war."

"Decisive action from the United States, Europe and everyone in the world who holds power [is now needed]."

"Without it Russian President Vladimir Putin] will not agree even to a ceasefire."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 

Over 12,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed during this war entering its fourth year. Tens of thousands of soldiers have died in combat representing both sides along the roughly 1,000 kilometre front line. And while both Zelenskyy and Putin have responded to US. President Donald Trump's urging that the war come to an end, each pledging their commitment to putting an end to hostilities, hoping to avoid potential punitive measures from Washington, while Ukraine has accepted a U.S. ceasefire proposal, the Kremlin has rejected it.

 

Vladimir Putin none too subtly has made it abundantly clear that to achieve any measure of a peace settlement, Ukraine must accept his terms. At the price of sacrificing so many lives, Mr. Putin is determined to be rewarded with his goal of territorial expansion and humiliation of Ukraine, achieving what he set out to do in February of 2022. "The settlement issue is extremely complex and involves a large number of nuances. It would be wrong to expect immediate solutions and breakthroughs", stated Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov.