Russian Forces Intercept Ukrainian Missiles Near Vital Crimea Bridge

The latest in a slew of alleged Ukrainian attacks in the area, according to Russian officials, involved multiple missiles being shot down over the key bridge connecting the occupied Crimea to the mainland on Saturday.

One of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s favorite projects, the bridge has been widely cited as a despised representation of occupation.

The bridge was unharmed, according to a statement on Telegram by Sergey Aksyonov, the Head of Crimea designated by Russia, who also noted that two Ukrainian missiles were shot down on Saturday afternoon.

White smoke could be seen rising from the bridge in pictures and videos that have been shared on social media. The photographs have not been independently verified by CNN.

Later on Saturday, according to an update from Aksyonov, another Ukrainian missile had been shot down nearby.

Moreover, the Russian military ministry announced earlier on Saturday that its troops had shot down 20 Ukrainian drones that had been sent into the peninsula overnight.

 Russia’s foreign ministry denounced Ukraine for what it called a “terrorist attack” after the attempted strikes.

 The Crimean bridge’s operational information Telegram account reports that traffic has since resumed after it was briefly halted.

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Crucial Passage for Russian Operations in Annexed Regions

The Crimean bridge serves as a key supply route for Russia’s assault on Ukraine, allowing personnel and supplies to enter the regions of Ukraine that Moscow has annexed in the country’s south and east.

It is also referred to as the Kerch Bridge, and Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, values it personally. According to the Kremlin narrative, it represents the “reunification” of Crimea with the Russian mainland.

The bridge was largely demolished in October when a fuel truck explosion severely damaged a significant portion of the road. The Kremlin immediately placed the blame for the explosion on Kiev, according to Putin, who claimed that Ukrainian security forces had engaged in “sabotage.”

However, the bridge took two direct hits in a July attack that, according to a Ukrainian security official, Kyiv was behind.

The head of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), Vasyl Maliuk, allegedly stated last week that any explosions that happen close to Russian ships or the Crimean bridge are a perfectly sensible and practical approach.

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Source: MSN