Video of Kerch bridge – the link between Russia and occupied Crimea – covered in smoke went viral on Saturday after reports of Ukraine targeting the bridge with three missiles.
Russian authorities covered the structure with white smoke over the weekend to deter Ukrainian forces to launch any further attacks on the Kerch bridge. Here is a video of the bridge post-attack:
In the latest example of Kyiv going on the offensive, multiple guided S-200 rockets were fired at Kerch Bridge. They were seemingly shot down by local air defenses. Russia’s defense ministry said that the missiles had been shot down, causing no damage to bridge. Ukraine is yet to comment on the alleged attack.
An additional 20 unmanned drones from Ukraine attacked targets in Crimea – territory illegally annexed by the Kremlin in 2014, which originally belonged to Ukraine. Russian officials said the drones had also been successfully neutralized.
“Air defence forces shot down two enemy missiles over the Kerch Strait. The [bridge] was not damaged,” said Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-installed governor of the Crimean peninsula. He urged those living in Crimea to remain calm.
Russia’s foreign ministry described the attack on the bridge as a terrorist attack and warned that Moscow would retaliate against it.
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He mentioned that a third missile had been fired which had been downed by their forces over the Kerch Strait. According to Interfax the bridge had been briefly shut to traffic but that it had later reopened.
Russian defense ministry confirmed that out of the 20 unmanned drones launched at Crimea, 14 were downed by air defense systems and six more through electronic warfare.
Kerch Bridge is the only direct link and works as a transport network between Russia and the Crimean peninsula. It was a flagship project for Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was inaugurated for public use by Putin in 2018 where he drove a truck across the bridge.
This is not the first time that Ukraine has attempted to attack the bridge. It was badly damaged in a blast last October when a truck crossing it blew up. Three people were killed. Ukraine’s SBU domestic intelligence agency later claimed responsibility for the operation.
