Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) executed a unique underwater operation targeting the Crimean Bridge, a crucial supply route for Russia, early in the morning on June 3. This marked the third attack on the bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, but this time, the assault originated from below the water’s surface.
According to SBU officials, the meticulous planning for this covert operation spanned several months. Ukrainian agents successfully planted explosives on one of the bridge's underwater pillars and detonated them at exactly 4:44 AM local time. The agency reported that over 100 kilograms of TNT equivalent explosives were used, resulting in significant damage to the underwater structure. Fortunately, there were no reported civilian casualties.
Lieutenant General Vasyl Malyuk, head of the SBU, was said to have directly overseen and coordinated the operation. In his statement, he noted that this was the third time Ukraine had targeted the bridge, following previous attacks in 2022 and 2023. He emphasized that the bridge is a legitimate military target due to its role in facilitating the movement of Russian troops and supplies into Ukrainian territories under occupation. Malyuk reiterated Ukraine's non-recognition of any Russian-built infrastructure on its land, warning that such installations could continue to face strong responses. “Crimea is Ukraine,” he affirmed, as reported by Ukrainian media.
The SBU also released an 82-second video capturing the explosion emanating from the water near the bridge, followed by a plume of smoke. Accompanying this, they shared a still image purportedly showing damage to the bridge's guardrail, although the footage did not clearly illustrate the extent of the destruction. The SBU did not disclose how they obtained the video, although some reports suggest it may have come from the bridge’s own CCTV system.
Russian authorities acknowledged the explosion, with the official Crimean Bridge Telegram channel stating that the bridge was temporarily closed for inspection but reopened just over four hours later, around 9:00 AM local time. They reported that vehicle traffic resumed without delays at inspection points on both sides of the bridge. However, a Russian Telegram channel named Romanov Light noted that while the bridge support was inspected and deemed undamaged, there were concerns regarding the attack, urging the government to bolster underwater defenses.
Recommendations included installing echo sounders, anti-torpedo systems, and additional underwater barriers. Later that day, Ukrainian Telegram channel Crimean Wind suggested there was a second attempt to strike the bridge using sea drones around 3 PM local time. Local residents reported hearing an explosion, and a helicopter was spotted patrolling the coastline. Russian sources claimed they had successfully repelled this drone attack, even releasing a video showing a Ukrainian surface drone being destroyed by a Russian Lancet drone.
In the aftermath of the second incident, Russian authorities once again closed the bridge temporarily, advising locals to remain calm. The bridge finally reopened around 5:42 PM, according to the most recent updates. There were unconfirmed reports suggesting that Ukraine might have utilized its Marichka underwater drone for this operation, although no visible evidence has been publicly disclosed.
This underwater assault came just two days after Ukraine launched a significant drone strike on Russian airbases, an operation dubbed Spider’s Web. Ukrainian officials claimed that those strikes damaged or destroyed strategic bombers and other high-value aircraft, though the exact number of affected planes has not been independently verified.
The 19-kilometer-long Crimean Bridge, which opened in 2018, serves as a vital link between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014. Since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, the bridge has played an essential role in transporting troops, weaponry, and supplies into southern Ukraine. Despite its reopening and Russian claims of no severe damage, the SBU continues to characterize the structure as being in a state of emergency due to the underwater explosion.
