Ukrainian secret service says it targeted pillar of key Crimea bridge
dpa
Kiev
The Ukrainian secret service SBU said on Tuesday it has seriously damaged a pillar of the key Russian bridge to the Crimean Peninsula by way of a targeted underwater
explosion.
'The bridge is effectively in danger of collapsing,' the secret service said. A total of 1,100 kilograms of TNT was used, which had been placed over several months. The agency emphasized that no civilians were harmed in the explosion, which occurred in the morning.
A video purporting to show the explosion was released as evidence. It shows water spraying and smoke. The footage was most likely taken from the base of the bridge and is current, but it does not show whether the pillar was actually damaged.
The attack was not initially confirmed by the Russian side.
The bridge was closed for about three hours on Tuesday morning. According to local media reports, the cause was the removal of damage caused by parts of a downed drone.
Shortly afterwards, traffic across the bridge was suspended again without any reasons being given. There was talk in the media of attacks with underwater drones.
Traffic resumed across the bridge in the afternoon.
A hated symbol for Ukrainians, the bridge had been opened to fanfare by Vladimir Putin in 2018, and is used by Russia to supply its military in occupied parts of Ukraine.
Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion for more than three years. Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014.
Kiev has already carried out several successful attacks on the combined railway and road bridge, which was completed in 2019. So far, the damage has always been repaired and the bridge has been put back into service.
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