&w=3840&q=100)
WATCH Ukraine hits Kerch Bridge with 1,000 kg underwater explosives in 'third' confirmed strike
The Kerch bridge, a symbolic project for President Vladimir Putin, has served as a critical logistics route for Russian forces since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. read more
This video grab taken from a handout footage released by the Ukrainian Security Service shows the explosion of the Kerch Bridge connecting Crimea with Russia (AFP)
Ukraine struck the Kerch Bridge connecting Crimea to Russia with over 1,000 kilograms of underwater explosives, the country's SBU intelligence agency said Tuesday, Kyiv's 'third' confirmed attack on the structure since the start of the war.
'This time underwater,' the SBU said, calling the operation a 'unique special mission' that had been in preparation for months. A video released by the agency shows a blast erupting from beneath the waterline, sending debris flying and damaging a section of the bridge.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The extent of the structural damage remains unclear. While Russia briefly closed the bridge, AFP reported it was functioning normally by Tuesday afternoon.
SBU blows up Crimean bridge! A bridge pillar was mined and remotely detonated! A fantastic operation! pic.twitter.com/yhY5wUesDY — Oleksiy Goncharenko (@GoncharenkoUa) June 3, 2025
The attack comes just two days after Ukraine carried out 'Operation Spider's Web,' targeting Russian military infrastructure and airbases. The 19-kilometer (12-mile) bridge, a strategic supply route for Russia's war effort, was previously hit in 2022 and 2023.
Opened in 2018, the Kerch Bridge is central to Russia's efforts to consolidate its 2014 annexation of Crimea, the move that sparked the broader Russia-Ukraine conflict. Moscow has demanded international recognition of Crimea as Russian territory as a condition for any peace talks.
The bridge, a symbolic project for President Vladimir Putin, has served as a critical logistics route for Russian forces since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Troops initially crossed the bridge into Crimea before advancing into the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of southern Ukraine. Built with both rail and road spans, it features iconic steel arches and concrete stilts spanning the strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
This latest incident comes just two days after Kyiv launched 'Operation Spider's Web,' targeting Russian airbases and long-range bombers deep inside Russian territory with drone strikes. The two operations reflect Ukraine's expanding use of asymmetric tactics against Russian military infrastructure.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
20 minutes ago
- Time of India
Germany to boost military by up to 60,000 troops under new NATO targets
Germany will need up to 60,000 additional troops under new NATO targets for weapons and personnel, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday, as the alliance beefs up its forces to respond to what it sees as an increased threat by Russia. "We are stepping up to our responsibility as Europe's largest economy," the minister told reporters ahead of a meeting with his NATO counterparts in Brussels that was set to approve the new targets. The fresh demands are tailored to the alliance's defence plans, thousands of pages of secret documents drawn up for the first time since the end of the Cold War, that detail how allied forces would respond to a Russian attack on NATO. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Fastest Selling Plots of Mysore from 40L | 40+ Amenities PurpleBrick Learn More Undo Translating these plans into the military tools needed, NATO found severe shortfalls in various areas - ranging from large formations of combat-ready ground troops to long-range weapons, sufficient ammunition stockpiles and secure communications. Pointing to the secret nature of the targets, NATO chief Mark Rutte only gave a rough outline of the gaps the alliance seeks to plug. Live Events "We have to invest in our air defence systems, we have to invest in our long-range missiles, we have to invest in our maneuverable land-formations, command and control systems - all of this has to happen," he told reporters, adding that all this would require huge investments. HUGE CHALLENGE FOR BERLIN In total, the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces, will need roughly 50,000 to 60,000 additional active soldiers over all branches of the military, according to Pistorius, which would put the future strength of the German forces at between 250,000 and 260,000 troops. Last week, Reuters reported that NATO will ask Germany to provide seven more army brigades alone, or some 40,000 troops. Sources, who all spoke on condition of anonymity, put the target for the total number of brigades that NATO allies will have to provide in future to between 120 and 130. Recruiting tens of thousands of extra troops will be a big challenge for Berlin, however, and likely spark a fresh debate on whether conscription - suspended in 2011 - should be reintroduced. The Bundeswehr has not yet met a target of 203,000 troops set in 2018, and is currently short-staffed by some 20,000 regular troops, according to defence ministry data. Pistorius said the government would be faced with the question whether the voluntary military service it aims to introduce will be sufficient to fill the Bundeswehr's ranks. Still, he warned that the military currently could not absorb a bigger number of conscripts due to a lack of barracks and trainers. "Until we have such capacities, we'll have a voluntary service - and maybe beyond that if we are an attractive employer and win enough young men and women for the military who agree to serve for a longer time." In a major shift, Germany recently loosened its debt brake to enable a surge in defence and backed Rutte's plan to hike NATO's spending target to 5% of GDP.
Mint
29 minutes ago
- Mint
Russia vows to respond to Ukraine's Operation Spider's Web attack ‘as and when it sees fit'
The Kremlin declared on Thursday that Russia will respond to Ukraine's recent attacks whenever its military deems appropriate, condemning Kyiv for what it described as acts of state terrorism. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that President Vladimir Putin had informed former US President Donald Trump that Moscow was obliged to retaliate. Over the weekend, Ukraine launched drone strikes targeting Russian heavy bomber aircraft stationed at air bases in Siberia and the far north. Additionally, Russia accused Ukraine of orchestrating explosions on rail bridges in southern Russia, which resulted in the deaths of seven people. Peskov highlighted Putin's remarks from the previous day, in which the Russian president labelled the Kyiv regime a 'terrorist regime' for allegedly ordering the sabotage of a passenger train — an act Putin described as 'terrorism at the state level.' However, Russia has yet to present evidence linking Ukrainian leaders to the rail attacks, and Kyiv has denied responsibility. The recent Ukrainian incursions into Russian territory, coupled with ongoing Russian air strikes and ground offensives, have intensified the conflict that began in February 2022. These developments have further dimmed hopes for peace talks, which both sides resumed last month in Turkey. Despite the escalation, Peskov noted that Putin supported Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's stance that working-level communications with Ukraine should continue. When asked about a potential face-to-face meeting between Putin and Trump during their recent phone call, Peskov said no such discussion took place, though there was mutual recognition of the need for such a meeting once properly arranged. The possibility of lifting sanctions on Russia was also not addressed. Operation Spider's Web was a covert drone attack conducted by Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia. Carried out on June 1 by the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), the large-scale assault targeted key Russian airbases and aircraft, reportedly destroying over 40 bomber planes regularly used in attacks against Kyiv. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the operation took 18 months and nine days to meticulously plan and execute. Ukraine's recent operations, described metaphorically as a 'spider's web,' involve a series of coordinated strikes deep within Russian territory, targeting critical military infrastructure such as air bases and transportation networks. Ukrainian attacks inside Russia and Russian air strikes and advances on the battlefield have escalated the war that began in February 2022, damaging prospects for peace talks that the two sides resumed in Turkey last month.
Time of India
31 minutes ago
- Time of India
‘Almost near consensus': Pete Hegseth reveals Nato close to deal on 5% defence spending goal, as US insists on credible timelines from all allies
US defense secretary Pete Hegseth, left, and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte deliver statements ahead of a meeting of Nato defense ministers at Nato headquarters in Brussels. (Picture credit: AP) Nato allies are nearing consensus on a new defence spending target of five per cent of GDP, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday, in a move aimed at satisfying US President Donald Trump's longstanding demand for increased contributions from member states. Speaking after a meeting with Nato defence ministers in Brussels, Hegseth said, 'Countries in there are well exceeding two per cent and we think very close, almost near consensus, on a five per cent commitment for Nato in The Hague later this month.' He added that while a few countries were not yet on board, 'We'll get them there.' The proposed benchmark, expected to be formally discussed during the June 24-25 summit in the Netherlands, includes 3.5 per cent of GDP on core defence spending and 1.5 per cent on infrastructure such as roads and ports needed to support military deployments, as per news agency AFP. Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte confirmed ministers agreed on 'capability targets' to strengthen military readiness. These targets involve priority acquisitions like long-range missiles, drones, and air defence systems, as well as logistics tools to enhance rapid deployment. 'All these investments have to be financed,' Rutte said, as quoted by news agency AP. The spending deal likely appears to be a compromise designed to let Trump claim success on his five per cent demand while allowing some flexibility for reluctant allies. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Among the most hesitant is Spain, which is only expected to meet the current two per cent benchmark this year. Several countries are reportedly negotiating for a longer timeline and looser annual increase requirements. The urgency is driven in part by the growing Russian threat. 'When you consider the threats that we face, the urgency in the world, it's critical. We don't need more flags. We need more fighting formations,' Hegseth told reporters. Germany's defence minister Boris Pistorius acknowledged that the new military readiness targets would require Berlin to add 'around 50,000 to 60,000' troops, while Dutch defence minister Ruben Brekelmans said their nation would need to raise defence spending to at least 3.5 per cent of GDP, requiring an additional €16–19 billion. Though the US supports the proposed agreement, Washington is demanding that all member nations present a 'credible path' to achieving the goal. Nato planners are operating on a 5–10 year horizon to meet these benchmarks, amid fears that Russia's capabilities could surge if the Ukraine war ends. Meanwhile, as the spending deal progresses, debate continues over Ukraine's role at the upcoming summit. While Kyiv's allies are pushing for President Volodymyr Zelensky to attend as a signal of unity, Nato has so far only confirmed that Ukraine will be represented. However, Hegseth skipped a Ukraine-related meeting this week, hinting at America's shifting engagement under Trump.
