The Crimean Bridge, which connects the annexed peninsula to the Russian mainland, was hit by two strikes on Monday. A Ukrainian security officer informed the media that Kyiv was behind the attack.

The bridge is a crucial route to supply Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine, allowing people and supplies to enter the regions of Ukraine that Moscow has controlled in the country’s south and east.

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It is also referred to as the Kerch Bridge, and according to reports Vladimir Putin values it personally. It signifies the “reunification” of Crimea with the Russian mainland, according to the Kremlin narrative.

The Kerch Bridge is crucial from a geopolitical standpoint since it connects Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, with the Krasnodar area of Russia.

Also Read: Russia blames Ukraine for Crimea bridge attack that left two dead

Additionally, it is of great symbolic significance to Russia, which spent almost $3.7 billion building the 12-mile bridge. It was a physical representation of Putin’s intention to annex Ukraine and keep it permanently bound to Russia.

Putin drove a triumphal procession across the bridge on the first day it was open. The bridge, which serves as a reminder of Russian occupation, is despised by Ukrainians.

The bridge was partially destroyed in October when a fuel truck explosion severely damaged a significant portion of the road. The explosion was quickly linked to Kyiv by the Kremlin, and Putin claimed that Ukrainian security agencies committed “sabotage” in the incident. After the explosion last year, Moscow repaired the bridge without delay.

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The bridge is an essential route for bringing fuel and supplies for civilians as well as everyday necessities and military equipment to Crimea. The bridge has frequently been used by Russian military convoys delivering fuel, armor, and vehicles as part of their full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Russian military’s supply routes to its forces in southern Ukraine would become more unstable if its use of the crossing was hindered.