Ukraine Hits Kerch Bridge with Underwater Explosives

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) claims to have hit the Crimea bridge with underwater explosives, saying they "mined the supports" with 1,100kg of TNT, causing "severe damage" to the bottom level of the supports. The operation, which was personally supervised by SBU director Lieutenant General Vasyl Malyuk, was carried out after "several months" of planning. The attack comes as Ukraine continues to target Russian infrastructure, having hit several targets across Russia just 48 hours prior. Russia has not commented on the attack, but local authorities initially reported a brief closure of the bridge before later warning of a temporary closure again.

Pro-Kremlin pundits and bloggers are calling for nuclear retaliation against Ukraine after a series of daring Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian air bases, which destroyed a number of Russian strategic nuclear bombers. While the Kremlin remains tight-lipped, some Russian analysts warn that using nuclear weapons would lead to international isolation. Russia's updated nuclear doctrine states that an attack on "critically important" military infrastructure could trigger a nuclear response, but experts say the barrier for such a response remains high due to potential consequences, including poisoning relations with key trading partners and inviting universal scorn. Ukraine's recent successes, including attacks on the Kerch bridge and capture of the Kursk region, have humiliated Moscow, and the Kremlin is under pressure to restore deterrence, but a nuclear strike is considered unlikely, with a more likely response being "barbaric" conventional missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities.

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) detonated around 2,500 pounds of underwater explosives on the Kerch Bridge linking Russia to Crimea, leaving it in a "state of emergency." The blast, which was centered around one of the bridge pillars, is the third attack on the bridge, with previous strikes occurring in 2022 and 2023. SBU Lt. Gen. Vasily Malyuk said the bridge was a "legitimate target" as it was used as a logistical artery to secure Russian troops. Traffic across the bridge was delayed for three hours before reopening, then closing again, with no civilians reported hurt. The attack is part of Ukraine's ongoing efforts to pressure Russia, following a series of coordinated drone strikes that targeted Russian military airfields.

Ukraine's security service claims to have carried out an attack on the Kerch Bridge linking Russia to Crimea using 1,100kg of underwater explosives, severely damaging its foundations. The attack, which took several months to plan, is the third time Ukraine has hit the bridge, a strategically and symbolically significant structure used by Russia to transport supplies and weapons to its forces in occupied Crimea. Russia has yet to respond, but bridge crossings have restarted after being closed for most of the day.