KYIV, Ukraine — June 4, 2025
Ukraine has confirmed a daring new strike on the Kerch Bridge — a critical link between mainland Russia and the occupied Crimean Peninsula — using explosives planted underwater. This marks the third major attack on the structure since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced on Telegram that its operatives had planted 1,100 kilograms of explosives on the underwater pillars of the Crimean Bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge. The detonation occurred at 4:44 a.m. local time on Tuesday, causing what it described as “severe damage” to the structure.

According to the SBU, the operation had been months in the making. Traffic on the bridge — used for both civilian and military transport — was suspended twice during the day before resuming later in the evening.

SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk personally oversaw the operation and said it was the agency’s third strike on the bridge, following earlier attacks in October 2022 and July 2023. “God loves the Trinity,” Maliuk said. “We never repeat the same tactic twice — this time, we struck from below.”

Maliuk added that the bridge remains a “completely legitimate military target” due to its role in supplying Russian forces fighting in Ukraine.

The Kerch Bridge is not only vital to Russia’s logistics but also carries deep symbolic significance for President Vladimir Putin. Built after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and opened in 2018, the $3.7 billion project is seen as a physical and ideological bond between Russia and Crimea.

Tuesday’s incident comes just two days after another bold Ukrainian operation — a drone strike on multiple Russian airfields, which Ukraine claims damaged around 34% of Russia’s strategic cruise missile fleet and caused an estimated $7 billion in damage.

Following the bridge attack, Russian authorities suspended maritime traffic near Sevastopol, Crimea’s largest city, according to state news agency RIA Novosti.

Meanwhile, the international response remains tense. Former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for refusing to acknowledge Russian control over Crimea, further politicizing the conflict ahead of upcoming elections.

Ukraine’s repeated strikes on the Kerch Bridge highlight Kyiv’s ongoing efforts to disrupt Russia’s military infrastructure — both symbolically and strategically — as the war drags into its third year.