The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) carried out its third attack on the Crimean bridge since the start of Russia’s full-scale war in 2022, blowing up and damaging its underwater supports, the SBU announced on the 3rd of June, according to The Kyiv Independent.
“The operation lasted several months. SBU agents planted explosives on the supports of this illegal structure,” the SBU said on its Telegram channel.
The Crimean Bridge, built after Russia’s illegal occupation of Crimea in 2014, is an important supply and transport route for Russian armed forces in the occupied territories of Ukraine.
“And today, without causing civilian casualties, the first explosive charge was detonated at 4:44 a.m.,” the SBU said.
The statement said that the underwater parts of the bridge supports were severely damaged after 1 100 kilograms of TNT explosives were detonated.
🔴 BREAKING: For the third time, Ukraine’s Security Service blew up the Crimean Bridge—this time underwater.
The operation took months. Underwater supports were badly damaged at the base. The bridge is now in critical condition. pic.twitter.com/6p1bqyMBj4
— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) June 3, 2025
The operation, which followed a massive drone attack by the SBU on Russian strategic aviation on the 1st of June, was also personally led by the agency’s head, Vasyl Maliuk.
The bridge suffered significant damage in two previous Ukrainian attacks in October 2022 and July 2023, but neither of them succeeded in destroying it.
The bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, is highly symbolic for Russia. The four-billion-dollar project was a political statement confirming the Kremlin’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, as the peninsula is not connected to Russia by land.
The Russian Ministry of Defence previously claimed that three Ukrainian drones were shot down over Crimea on the night of the 3rd of June.
On the same day, from 6:00 to 9:00 a.m. local time, the bridge was closed to traffic, according to local Telegram channels. The Telegram channel Mash reported that a Ukrainian drone was shot down over the bridge, with debris falling onto the road.
According to the pro-Ukrainian Telegram channel Crimean Wind, the bridge was closed for inspection, possibly to assess the damage.