Ukraine’s Crimean Bridge strike likely targeted railway supports — military expert

Pavlo Lakiychuk, head of security programs at the Center for Global Studies Strategy XXI, shared this view on Espreso TV after the third SBU strike on the Crimean Bridge.

"The Crimean Bridge isn’t just one structure. It’s a complex system made up of a road bridge and a railway bridge that stretch across the Kerch Strait and the Kerch-Yenikale Canal. Above the canal, two separate arches allow ships to pass — these are the bridge’s weakest points. So when we talk about damaging the Crimean Bridge, it could mean hitting either the road or the rail section," he said.

Pavlo Lakiychuk pointed out that the Security Service of Ukraine had already carried out a successful attack on the Crimean Bridge, when a truck explosion caused part of the road section to collapse.

"One of the road spans — two lanes — collapsed, and that section is still operating under restrictions," he said. "Now, it's clear this latest strike was precise. If the SBU says there were no casualties, it likely targeted the railway supports. That’s the key point. Car traffic matters, but Russian logistics rely on the railway. They’re even trying to build a new rail line around the Sea of Azov because they know this route could be cut at any moment. We’re now waiting for confirmation that the railway bridge is out. I expect we’ll hear about it in the next two or three days, no matter how hard the Russians try to cover it up."

The military expert also noted that Ukrainian intelligence recently hit a key Russian supply route in the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia region.

"Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate struck a locomotive and train in the occupied south," said Pavlo Lakiychuk. "This was the so-called Tavrida-2 — a backup route meant to replace the Crimean Bridge by running through mainland Ukraine. This strike has seriously disrupted the logistics of Russian forces operating in southern Ukraine."

• On June 3, the Security Service of Ukraine carried out a new unique special operation and struck the Crimean Bridge for the third time, this time underwater. As a result, the facility is in an emergency condition.
• On the night of May 31, an explosion hit a section of track near the temporarily occupied town of Yakymivka in Zaporizhzhia region's Melitopol district, blowing up a Russian military train.