Ukraine’s Underwater Assault: Crimean Bridge Hit in New SBU Operation

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has confirmed carrying out a new operation targeting the Crimean Bridge, marking the third such strike since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. According to a statement issued on June 3, SBU agents mined and damaged the bridge’s underwater supports after months of preparation. The first explosive was detonated early in the morning at 4:44 a.m., with no civilian casualties reported.

The Security Service of Ukraine has struck the Crimean Bridge for the third time — this time underwater.

The operation lasted several months. SBU agents planted explosives on the bridge's supports, and on June 3, the first explosive device was detonated without any civilian… pic.twitter.com/b21RhYqRT0

— WarTranslated (@wartranslated) June 3, 2025

The Crimean Bridge, which links Russia to the occupied Crimean Peninsula, has been a strategic and symbolic target for Ukraine. Built after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, the $4 billion project was not only a key military supply route but also a political statement reinforcing Moscow's claim over the peninsula. The SBU described the structure as "illegal" and confirmed that 1,100 kilograms of explosives, measured in TNT equivalent, were used to inflict damage on the piers’ submerged foundations.

The operation was reportedly overseen by SBU head Vasyl Maliuk and follows a broader escalation in Ukrainian strikes on Russian infrastructure. Just two days earlier, on June 1, Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack against Russia’s strategic aviation assets, adding to mounting pressure on Moscow’s military capabilities.

Previous attacks on the bridge in October 2022 and July 2023 caused notable damage but failed to render the structure inoperable. While repairs have kept the bridge functional, its vulnerability has turned it into a recurring target in Ukraine’s strategy to disrupt Russian logistics.

On the same morning as the latest explosion, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that three Ukrainian drones had been intercepted over Crimea. Between 6 and 9 a.m. local time, traffic on the Crimean Bridge was suspended. Reports from Russian Telegram channels indicated that a drone had been shot down over the bridge and that debris had fallen onto the roadway.

Meanwhile, the pro-Ukrainian Crimean Wind Telegram channel reported that the bridge had been shut for an inspection, presumably to assess the extent of the damage following the attack.