Russian military bloggers say the attacks have failed and the Keybridge is working after a short closure.
Ukrainian SBU Security Services say it has hit roads and railway bridges linking Russia and Ukraine’s annexed Crimea Peninsula with explosives below water levels.
About 1,100 kg (2,420 pounds) of explosives exploded on Tuesday morning, destroying the underwater column of a bridge over the Strait of Curch during months of preparation surgery, a statement from the SBU said.
“We previously attacked the Crimea Bridge twice in 2022 and 2023. Today we continued this tradition underwater,” he said. “The bridge is currently in practical emergency.”
The SBU shared video footage claiming to show an explosion next to one of the many supporting pillars on the bridge.
A Russian military blogger said the attack had failed, speculating that it was carried out by a Ukrainian sea drone.
The official Russian outlet, which provides regular status updates at the bridge, said its operation was suspended for about three hours during local time (01:00 and 04:00 GMT).
It gave no reason for a temporary closure, but said the bridge was reopened and was functioning as normal.
The 19km (12 miles) Crimean Bridge, across the Kerch Strait, is the only direct link between the Russian transport network, annexed by Moscow from Ukraine in 2014 and the Crimea Peninsula.
The bridge was the flagship project of Russian President Vladimir Putin. It consists of independent roads and railways, both supported by concrete stilts, giving way to the wider spans held by steel arches at points passing through the Black Sea and the smaller Azov Sea.
The bridge was used by Russian troops during the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and continued to grab parts of the region of South Herson and southeastern Zaporia in Ukraine when it crossed it to arrive in Crimea.
Russian attacks in Ukraine
The attacks have been targeted by Russian troops in the Ukrainian city of Smie, killing at least three people and injuring many people, the city council and the health ministry said.
Ukrainian President Voldymeier Zelensky said at least one rocket fired from multiple rocket launchers failed to explode and harbored itself in the apartment building.
Commenting on the attack, Zelenskyy said on his telegram channel:
On Monday, Russia told Ukraine in peace talks in Istanbul that it would only agree to end the war if Kiev gave up a big new chunk of territory and accepts restrictions on the size of the military. Ukraine repeatedly rejected the situation in Russia as equivalent to surrendering.
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