 "Why Ukraine keeps attacking Crimea's Kerch bridge")
Ukraine’s security service, the SBU, executed its third confirmed attack on the Kerch Strait Bridge on June 3 — also known as the Crimean Bridge — using a powerful 1,100-kilogramme explosive charge placed underwater.
The detonation, according to Ukrainian authorities, severely compromised the foundational pillars supporting the road and rail bridge that connects mainland Russia to Crimea, a territory internationally recognised as part of Ukraine but annexed by Russia in 2014.
Though traffic resumed after temporary suspensions throughout the day, the attack put a spotlight on the structure that has been a consistent and symbolic target for Ukraine’s military operations.
The SBU stated, “Previously, we hit the Crimean Bridge twice, in 2022 and 2023. So today we continued this tradition underwater.”
The statement also declared the bridge was now “effectively in an emergency condition,” although independent confirmation of the extent of the damage remains unavailable.
Why Crimea bridge is so important
Spanning 19 kilometres across the Kerch Strait, the Crimea Bridge is the only direct land route connecting Russia with the Crimean Peninsula. Built after the 2014 annexation, the bridge was a flagship infrastructure project for Russian President Vladimir Putin and remains one of the most significant engineering feats under his tenure.
It serves dual purposes: as a vital logistical corridor for military and civilian transport, and as a physical declaration of Russia’s hold on Crimea.
Its construction began soon after Crimea’s controversial integration into the Russian Federation. Opened to road traffic in 2018 and to rail transport in 2019, the structure consists of two parallel spans — one for vehicles and one for trains — held aloft by reinforced concrete piers and steel arches where ships pass below.
From the outset, the bridge has symbolised Moscow’s determination to entrench its presence on the Black Sea peninsula, and its defence has been prioritised by Russian authorities ever since.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the bridge’s utility as a military lifeline became even more pronounced.
Russian troops and heavy equipment travelled across it en route to seize regions in southern Ukraine, particularly Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Disrupting that flow became a clear tactical goal for Ukraine.
How Ukraine has targeted Crimea bridge
Ukraine’s first successful strike on the bridge came on October 8, 2022, when a truck laden with explosives detonated mid-crossing. The blast caused part of the roadway to collapse and set adjacent railway fuel tankers ablaze. The SBU would later confirm responsibility.
The damage required nearly 10 months of restoration work, culminating in a full reopening by February 2023 for road traffic and by May 2023 for the rail section.
A second significant attack occurred in the early hours of July 17, 2023, when Ukraine employed naval surface drones — unmanned aquatic vessels loaded with explosives — to strike the bridge.
This attack again caused a portion of the road span to collapse, killing two civilians in a car and injuring a child. Services were halted but resumed in stages, with full reopening by October 14, 2023.
In August 2023, Ukraine attempted another strike using Soviet-era S-200 missiles, but Russia’s defence systems reportedly intercepted them before impact. Nevertheless, the bridge was again temporarily closed as a precaution.
The June 2025 operation marks the third confirmed and most recent instance of successful sabotage.
According to the SBU, the elaborate underwater operation took months to prepare and resulted in “severely damaged” supporting pillars. Video footage released by Ukraine showed an explosion next to one of the bridge’s pylons.
Despite official denials from Russia about the extent of the damage, the bridge was closed twice on June 3 — for three hours in the morning and two and a half hours in the afternoon — according to Russian state media.
Why Ukraine has targeted Crimea bridge
Ukraine has consistently maintained that the bridge is a valid military target. Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in July 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the bridge must be “neutralised” because it plays a critical role in “feeding the war with ammunition” and “militarising the Crimean Peninsula.”
After each attack, Moscow has responded by fortifying the bridge’s defences and expediting repairs. Russian officials, including Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, have condemned Ukraine’s repeated attempts to destroy the structure, framing them as acts of terrorism.
However, Ukraine sees the bridge’s very existence as an enabler of occupation and repression, particularly given Russia’s continued military presence in Crimea.
The bridge has also become part of a broader Ukrainian strategy involving long-range drone and missile strikes deep into Russian-held territory.
Just days before the attack, Ukraine launched a major drone assault — codenamed “Spider’s Web” — targeting distant airfields and destroying several long-range Russian bomber aircraft.
Why Crimea is important
At the heart of the struggle over the Kerch Bridge is Crimea itself. Annexed by Russia in March 2014 following a controversial and internationally unrecognised referendum, the peninsula has long been a source of friction between Moscow and Kyiv.
Its integration into Russia sparked the first wave of Western sanctions and poisoned relations between Russia and the West for years to come.
The Crimean Peninsula holds strategic, cultural and economic value. It hosts Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, provides year-round access to southern waterways, and contains a population that is majority Russian-speaking.
However, it also has a long history of diverse settlement, including Greeks, Tatars, and Turks, and remains home to the Crimean Tatars — a Muslim minority group largely opposed to Russian rule.
After annexation, Moscow rapidly integrated Crimea into its federal structure, replacing Ukrainian currency, laws and infrastructure. Russian companies took over local businesses and Russian passports were issued en masse.
The Crimean Tatars, meanwhile, faced systemic repression, including the 2016 designation of their representative council — the Mejlis — as an “extremist” group.
Given Crimea’s centrality to both Russian national identity and Ukrainian sovereignty, it is unsurprising that the Kerch Bridge — its only direct link to Russia — has become a prime target.
For Ukraine, undermining the bridge is not merely a tactical strike; it is a blow to the heart of Russia’s claim over Crimea.
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