Ukraine behind Crimea bridge attack: Ukrainian source
Published Jul 17, 2023 12:18 pm
KYIV, Ukraine - The Ukrainian navy and SBU security service carried out an overnight attack on the Russian-built bridge linking annexed Crimea to Russia, a Ukrainian source told AFP Monday.
"Today's attack on the Crimean bridge is a special operation of the SBU and the navy," the security service source said.
The strike was carried out using waterborne drones, according to the same source.
"It was difficult to reach the bridge, but in the end it was possible to do it," the source said.
This video grab taken from a Сrimea24TV footage on July 17, 2023 shows the damaged Kerch bridge -- linking Crimea to Russia -- which was heavily damaged following an attack. Russia on July 17, 2023, said a Ukrainian attack on the bridge linking Moscow-annexed Crimea to the Russian mainland killed a civilian couple and wounded their child. Moscow said two drones had hit the bridge in the early hours and blamed "the Kyiv regime." (Photo by Crimea24TV / AFP)
The Kerch bridge, which links Russia to Crimea, serves as a vital link for transporting supplies to Russian soldiers in Ukraine.
The Russian-built bridge was already partially destroyed in a truck bomb attack in October 2022, blamed by Moscow on Ukraine but denied by Kyiv.
"Any illegal structures used to deliver Russian instruments of mass murder are necessarily short-lived," Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter in a seeming allusion to the bridge attack.
"The bridge has gone to sleep again", the SBU said on Telegram in an apparent reference to the latest strike against the link to Crimea.
In written comments to AFP, SBU spokesman Artem Dekhtiarenko said Ukrainian intelligence services were following the aftermath.
"We are watching with interest as one of the symbols of Putin's regime once again failed to withstand the military load," he said.
This video grab taken from a Сrimea24TV footage on July 17, 2023 shows the damaged Kerch bridge -- linking Crimea to Russia -- which was heavily damaged following an attack. Russia on July 17, 2023, said a Ukrainian attack on the bridge linking Moscow-annexed Crimea to the Russian mainland killed a civilian couple and wounded their child. Moscow said two drones had hit the bridge in the early hours and blamed "the Kyiv regime." (Photo by Crimea24TV / AFP)
The Kerch bridge, which links Russia to Crimea, serves as a vital link for transporting supplies to Russian soldiers in Ukraine.
The Russian-built bridge was already partially destroyed in a truck bomb attack in October 2022, blamed by Moscow on Ukraine but denied by Kyiv.
"Any illegal structures used to deliver Russian instruments of mass murder are necessarily short-lived," Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter in a seeming allusion to the bridge attack.
"The bridge has gone to sleep again", the SBU said on Telegram in an apparent reference to the latest strike against the link to Crimea.
In written comments to AFP, SBU spokesman Artem Dekhtiarenko said Ukrainian intelligence services were following the aftermath.
"We are watching with interest as one of the symbols of Putin's regime once again failed to withstand the military load," he said.