Defense News

Ukraine Russia War

Ukraine is reportedly planning to destroy the 12-mile Kerch Bridge connecting Russia to Crimea in its ongoing campaign to liberate the occupied region. The bridge has become a symbol of Russian occupation in Crimea, and Ukrainian military intelligence officials consider its destruction inevitable.

A high-ranking Ukrainian military intelligence official, speaking anonymously to The Guardian, stated that the destruction of the bridge would impair Moscow's ability to carry out offensives, as Russian troops would be forced to use main roads for transporting supplies.

The Ukrainian military has attempted to destroy the bridge twice before, in October 2022 and June 2023. Although the first attack caused certain sections of the bridge to collapse, Moscow was able to restore it. The second attempt, using one-way sea drones, caused significant damage.

In response to these attacks, Russian occupiers have fortified the Kerch Bridge by installing special underwater barriers to protect it from aerial and underwater sabotage. They have also deployed more troops to defend the bridge, which analysts consider an obvious target.

Despite the extensive measures taken by Moscow to protect the bridge, the Ukrainian military claims to have most of the means needed to carry out the planned attack. However, questions remain about how they will overcome the additional defenses put in place by Russian forces.

The destruction of the Kerch Bridge would mark a significant development in Ukraine's efforts to reclaim Crimea from Russian occupation.