For the second time in less than a year, there has been an attack on the massive bridge that links Crimea to the Russian mainland.
Russia’s National Anti-Terrorist Committee said the predawn attack was carried out by two Ukrainian sea-borne drones, according to the Associated Press.
Ukrainian officials did not openly take responsibility for the attack, but Ukrainian Security Service spokesman Artem Degtyarenko said details of the “bang” would be revealed after Russia’s defeat, per AP News.
“The peninsula is used by the Russians as a large logistical hub for moving forces and assets deep into the territory of Ukraine. Of course, any logistical problems are additional complications for the occupiers,” claimed Ukraine military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov, according to AP News.
The attack resulted in the deaths of a husband and wife, while their 14-year-old daughter was severely injured, per AP News.
Footage shared widely on social media purports to show the damage caused by the attack, with a segment of the bridge partially collapsed and sloping toward the sea.
The Russian Foreign Ministry claims Ukraine’s involvement is confirmed.
“They said in Kiev that the incident was the result of a joint operation of its Navy and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). It confirms that the nation’s political leadership and special services are linked to this terrorist act,” the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed, according to Russia Today.
Responding to the attack, Dmitry Medvedev, a Russian Security Council member and former president, called the Ukrainian government a “terrorist organization,” as reported by AP News.
In a video posted to social media, Yan Gagin an advisor to the Donetsk People’s Republic, claimed that the attack was likely guided using a U.S. aerial drone.
“This happened with the help of fire ships. These are boat drones. Most likely produced in NATO countries. … During the attack a US reconnaissance drone was in the sky over the Black Sea, most likely guiding the drones.”
A truck bomb was used in the previous attack on the bridge in October, causing a partial collapse of two sections of the bridge and killing three people.
The 12-mile long Kerch Bridge is the longest bridge in Europe. Spanning the Kerch Strait, it is the only connection between Crimea and mainland Russia that does not cross over Ukrainian land occupied by Russia. It is critical for the transport of supplies to Crimea.
On the same day as the attack on the Crimean bridge, wheat prices rose sharply as Russia announced the end of its participation in the Black Sea Grain Deal that facilitated safe navigation for ships transporting Ukrainian grain to global markets, as reported by Zero Hedge.