Ukraine’s Security Service Strikes Kerch Bridge for Third Time, Severely Damages Underwater Structures
In a bold and meticulously executed covert operation, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has struck the Kerch (Crimean) Bridge for the third time, inflicting serious damage on its underwater support structures. The bridge, which links occupied Crimea with mainland Russia, has been a key logistical artery for Russian military operations.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to Ukraine’s Security Service.
According to the SSU, the operation was months in the making. Ukrainian operatives planted explosives along the submerged foundations of the illegally constructed bridge. At 4:44 a.m. on June 3, the first charge was detonated. No civilian casualties were reported.
The blast, equivalent to 1,100 kilograms of explosives (TNT equivalent), targeted the submerged pylons at seabed level. Intelligence sources say the extent of the damage has rendered the bridge structurally compromised. “The bridge is now in an emergency condition,” the SBU noted in a statement.
SSU Chief Lieutenant General Vasyl Maliuk personally oversaw the planning and execution of the mission. He described the strike as part of a broader strategy to dismantle Russia’s occupation infrastructure.
“God loves the Trinity, and the SBU always finishes what it starts,” Maliuk said. “We hit the Kerch Bridge in 2022 and 2023. Today, we continued that tradition, this time from beneath the water. This bridge has no place on Ukrainian territory. It was used to transport weapons and troops. That makes it a legitimate target. Crimea is Ukraine, and any signs of occupation will be met with decisive action.”
This strike underscores Ukraine’s shift toward high-impact asymmetric warfare, targeting the logistical backbone of the Russian war effort.
The operation follows the SSU’s unprecedented “Spiderweb” operation, carried out on June 1, which, as The Gaze reported earlier, damaged four Russian air bases – Belaya, Dyagilevo, Olenya, and Ivanovo, and destroyed or disabled 41 Russian strategic aircraft, including Tu-95, Tu-22M3, Tu-160 bombers, and an A-50 early warning aircraft.