Ukraine has launched a high-impact underwater explosives operation against the Crimean Bridge, a critical road and rail link connecting Russia to the annexed Crimean Peninsula. The attack, claimed by Ukraine’s SBU security service, caused severe damage to the base supports of the bridge, disrupting a key logistical route used by Russian forces.
The strike marks the third time Ukraine has targeted the 12-mile-long Kerch Bridge since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The bridge, a prestige project inaugurated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018, has been heavily guarded. The SBU revealed that the latest operation had been in planning for several months and involved over a metric tonne of TNT.
Lt Gen Vasyl Maliuk of the SBU, who led the operation, called the bridge “a legitimate military target,” emphasizing its use in transporting Russian military supplies. “Crimea is Ukraine, and any manifestations of occupation will receive our tough response,” he said. Video footage released by the SBU showed the moment of the underwater blast and subsequent damage.
The attack follows a series of escalating Ukrainian offensives, including a drone strike over the weekend on airbases inside Russia that reportedly damaged 34% of Moscow’s strategic cruise missile carriers. The bridge attack also coincided with Ukraine’s formal invitation to attend the upcoming NATO summit, a move hailed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “important” for Ukraine’s global standing.
Russian authorities temporarily suspended traffic on the Crimean Bridge, with state media reporting a four-hour closure. Meanwhile, Moscow accused Ukraine of orchestrating additional acts of sabotage, including the bombing of two railway bridges in Russia that resulted in seven deaths and over 100 injuries.
As the conflict intensifies, diplomatic efforts remain at an impasse. A new round of peace talks held in Istanbul ended without breakthrough, with Russia rejecting Ukraine’s demand for an unconditional ceasefire. Instead, Moscow proposed a short-term truce in select areas, while reiterating demands that Ukraine withdraw from four partially occupied regions as a condition for halting its offensive.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov downplayed the prospect of quick diplomatic progress, describing the situation as “extremely complex” and dismissing speculation about a summit between the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and the United States. While US President Donald Trump remains open to the idea, Peskov insisted that any such meeting would only follow substantive agreements between negotiators.
Amid the growing international spotlight, Ukrainian officials including Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak and Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svrydenko arrived in the United States to lobby for increased sanctions on Russia and further defense support. With battlefield developments and diplomatic pressure mounting, Ukraine’s recent operations appear aimed at reshaping perceptions of its strategic leverage as the war enters its fourth year.
