The Crimean Bridge, a critical infrastructure link between Crimea and Russia, was temporarily closed on June 29 after reports of explosions and active air defense operations in the city of Kerch. Local Telegram channels cited witness accounts of multiple blasts and Russian air defense systems in action. While the exact cause of the closure remains unclear, traffic on the bridge was briefly halted before resuming approximately one hour later.
The bridge, constructed after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, serves as a vital supply and transport route for Russian military forces in the occupied Ukrainian territories. Ukraine has frequently targeted the bridge in attacks, including a significant strike on June 3, where Ukrainian intelligence confirmed the detonation of 1,100 kilograms of explosives beneath the bridge’s underwater supports. The operation, part of a months-long planning process, caused ‘severe’ damage to the foundations without harming civilians, according to SBU Chief Vasyl Malyuk.
Russian media responded by claiming that a Ukrainian intelligence agent involved in the attack had been detained by the Federal Security Service (FSB). The bridge has previously sustained damage in Ukrainian attacks in October 2022 and July 2023, yet Russia has continued to prioritize its operational status due to its strategic and symbolic importance.