Crimea Bridge Damaged in Drone Attack

The Kerch bridge was hit by a drone attack Monday night, making it the second attack on the Crimean bridge since the war began.

The National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC) confirmed a ‘Ukrainian’ attack on the bridge.

"At 03:05, two Ukrainian unmanned surface vehicles attacked the Crimean bridge. As a result of a terrorist act, the road component of the Crimean bridge was damaged," the committee said.

The heavily-guarded 19km-long Kerch Bridge is the only overland link that goes directly from Russia to occupied Crimea. The road and railway bridges run parallel, with a wide suspension span in the middle to allow ships to pass through. It is a key link for bringing troops, equipment and supplies to Moscow’s invasion force in Ukraine.

Monday’s explosions occurred on the road bridge, causing a section to collapse.

The attack reportedly killed two adults and injured one child. The bridge was closed after the explosions.

Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for Russia’s foreign ministry, blamed the damage on a Ukrainian attack, calling Ukraine “a terrorist state structure”.

Ukrainian media outlets cited unnamed sources suggesting the Ukrainian domestic security service, along with the navy, had been responsible for the attack.

In October 2022, the day after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 70th birthday, a massive explosion destroyed a section of the Ukraine-bound road and engulfed the rail link in flames.