KYIV, Ukraine (Diya TV) — Ukraine has confirmed it launched a targeted attack on the Kerch Bridge — a critical link between mainland Russia and the occupied Crimean Peninsula — using underwater explosives in a covert operation that took several months to plan and execute.
According to Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), the operation severely damaged the bridge’s underwater pillars with 1,100 kilograms of explosives. The detonation occurred at 4:44 a.m. local time Tuesday and marks the third successful Ukrainian strike on the bridge since the full-scale Russian invasion began in 2022. “No civilian casualties” were reported in the incident, the agency noted via its official Telegram channel.
The bridge, also known as the Crimean or Kerch Bridge, serves as a vital supply route for Russian troops fighting in southern Ukraine and holds major symbolic value for Moscow. Built after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, it was personally inaugurated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018 for $3.7 billion.
SBU chief Lieutenant General Vasyl Malyuk, who oversaw the operation, called the attack a continuation of Ukraine’s efforts to disrupt Russian logistics and signal the high cost of continued aggression. “We previously struck the Crimean Bridge twice, in 2022 and 2023,” Malyuk said in a Telegram post. “So today we continued this tradition, this time underwater.”
Traffic across the bridge was suspended early Tuesday and again mid-afternoon, though Russian media reported it had reopened by 6 p.m. local time. Local officials warned of further closures throughout the day as inspections continued, and unconfirmed reports on social media suggested additional explosions occurred later.
While the SBU emphasized that explosives were planted on the bridge’s supports over several months, Russian military bloggers speculated that the damage may have been caused by an underwater drone that bypassed protective barriers. Russia has not officially commented on the nature of the attack, but Kremlin-linked media acknowledged the bridge had been temporarily shut.
The timing of the strike is notable. It comes just two days after Ukraine launched a large-scale drone campaign dubbed “Operation Spider Web,” targeting multiple Russian airfields. According to the SBU, more than 100 drones were smuggled into Russia using unsuspecting lorry drivers and later launched toward strategic bomber sites. That strike reportedly damaged 34% of Russia’s cruise missile carrier fleet and caused $7 billion in damage, though those figures have not been independently verified.
Ukraine continues to frame the Kerch Bridge as a legitimate military target due to its role in supplying Russian forces. “No illegal Russian facilities have a place on the territory of our state,” Malyuk added. “The Crimean Bridge is an legitimate target, especially considering that the enemy used it as a logistical artery to supply its troops.”
The bridge has long been a focal point of tension. In October 2022, an explosion from a truck bomb severely damaged the roadway, and in July 2023, Ukrainian forces used an experimental sea drone in another successful strike. Russia quickly repaired the bridge each time, reinforcing it heavily and increasing security, making Tuesday’s operation a notable feat of stealth and precision.
As of Tuesday evening, maritime traffic near Sevastopol, Crimea’s largest city, was also temporarily halted, according to Russia’s RIA Novosti. Authorities advised civilians in the area to follow transport security instructions and remain calm.
