Explosions rock occupied Kerch, forcing Russian administration to close Crimean Bridge

The occupation authorities have also blocked traffic on the Crimean Bridge – their usual response when there are explosions close to the illegally built structure linking Russia to Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Crimea.

A powerful explosion occurred on Oct. 8, 2022, at the Crimean Bridge, which Russia employs to deploy armored vehicles and military personnel to southern Ukraine, resulting in the collapse of several sections into the Kerch Strait.

The Kremlin regime accused Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukrainian military intelligence, of organizing the sabotage. However, Ukraine’s spy chief refuted these claims, dismissing them as “baseless accusations.”

Ukraine’s SBU security service also attacked the Crimean Bridge on July 17, 2023, using Sea Baby drones. At the time, Russia’s puppet governor in Crimea Sergei Aksyonov declared an "emergency" and Russian social media groups reported serious damage to at least one span.

Later, the Russian Ministry of Transportation reported alleged damage to the roadway.

After the blasts in Crimea, the Russian occupation administration additionally fenced off the Crimean Bridge with "special anti-sabotage boom barriers" that could allegedly protect the facility from surface and underwater drones.