Traffic on the main bridge linking the Russian mainland with annexed Crimea was temporarily halted as Moscow said Ukraine attacked the peninsula with U.S.-supplied missiles (Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS) missiles.
On May 29, 2024, multiple explosions were reported near the Kerch Bridge in Crimea, temporarily occupied by Russia. Ukrainian ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles were reportedly used in the attack, targeting air defense systems near the bridge.
The attack resulted in over 20 explosions, causing the temporary closure of the bridge and halting ferry services. Local residents and social media channels reported the events, with speculation about the bridge’s integrity and the effectiveness of Russian air defenses. The situation remains tense, with ongoing discussions about the strategic implications of the attack and potential future actions.
“Vehicle traffic on the Crimean Bridge is temporarily blocked,” a Telegram channel that posts regular updates on traffic on the Kerch Strait Bridge, said at 1:25 a.m. local time. Traffic has since reopened.
The Kerch Strait Bridge serves as a key supply route for Russia’s forces. Ukraine struck the 19-kilometer (nearly 12-mile) road and rail bridge in October 2022 and again in July 2023. The bridge is crucial to sustaining Moscow’s military offensives in southern Ukraine. Kyiv has vowed future strikes on the structure as it seeks to recapture the peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014.
Vladimir Rogov, chairman of We Are Together With Russia, a pro-Russian group that operates in the Moscow-occupied Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia, as well as Russian military bloggers, said on Telegram that Ukraine had fired ATACMS at Crimea from the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson overnight on Monday.
“Tonight, militants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched a missile attack on the Republic of Crimea,” Rogov wrote. “Russian air defense worked over Dzhankoy and Simferopol. According to latest information, our defenders did an excellent job.”
Ukraine launched “several ATACMS ballistic missiles to attack the peaceful peninsula,” Rogov said.
“Before this, an alarm was declared on the peninsula and the Crimean Bridge was blocked,” he added. “Traffic on the bridge has now resumed.”
The SHOT Telegram channel, a Russian channel that posts updates on the war, reported that explosions were heard in the Crimean city of Simferopol, and in Dzhankoy, which houses a military airfield operated by the Russian Aerospace Forces.
Ukraine and Russia have yet to officially comment on the reported attack. Newsweek has contacted Russian and Ukrainian authorities for comment by email.
Fears are growing among Russian military bloggers that Ukrainian forces are preparing to attack the Kerch Strait Bridge.
The Rybar Telegram channel, which has links to Russia’s Defense Ministry, said last week that Kyiv may have used U.S.-made ADM-160 Miniature Air-Launched Decoy (MALD) missiles to detect air defense systems and radars in preparation for another attack on the Black Sea peninsula.
The missiles, which are designed to distract and confuse enemy air defenses, are capable of mimicking a number of aircraft on radar screens.
Rybar said an attack on the Kerch Bridge could happen before Putin’s inauguration on May 7. The Russian leader secured his fifth term in office in March.
“Considering the love of the Ukrainian authorities and their curators for symbolism, the target once again may be the Crimean Bridge, the attention to which is very high,” Rybar said.
© 2024, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Be the first to comment