Ukraine strikes bridge linking Crimea to Russia with underwater explosives

In another audacious attack, Kyiv detonated an underwater bomb beneath the bridge which links the annexed peninsula to mainland Russia: spy planes also damaged in first strike.

Video grab from footage released by the Ukrainian Security Service on June 3 of the Kerch Bridge connecting Crimea with Russia. Picture: AFP

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Ukraine has launched another audacious attack on Russia, detonating an underwater bomb beneath the Crimean bridge linking the annexed peninsula to mainland Russia.

In an operation that took several months to set up, Kyiv’s SBU secret service said it detonated 1100kg of explosives planted on one of the Kerch Bridge’s underwater pillars.

“The bridge is now effectively in an emergency condition,” the SBU claimed.

It published footage showing a blast coming out of the water and debris flying, along with a photograph of damage to the side of the bridge.

However, the extent of the damage caused by the blast was unclear. Traffic across the Kerch Bridge was halted for three hours early on Tuesday local time but reopened at 9am (4pm AEST), Russian state media reported. It closed for a second time at 3.20pm (10.20pm AEST).

It was the third Ukrainian strike on the 19km bridge since Russia’s invasion of its neighbour in February 2022, the SBU said.

Ukraine says the bridge is a legitimate target because Russia used to move troops and military equipment for its invasion.

It comes two days after a daring Ukrainian drone attack on air bases deep inside Russia at the weekend.

As well as destroying a third of Russia’s bomber fleet, that attack reportedly also damaged at least two of the country’s rare A-50 surveillance aircraft.

The UK Telegraph reports satellite footage shows one of the Ukrainian drones hitting the radar dome of one spy plane, while a second A-50 also appeared to be hit.

Moscow is believed to only have seven operational versions of the spy planes, which are considered highly important for organising Russia’s air defences and co-ordinating fighter jets and bomber aircraft attacking Ukraine.

Ceasefire negotiations

Russia on Tuesday said it was wrong to expect a quick breakthrough in Ukraine talks, a day after Moscow rejected Kyiv’s call for an unconditional ceasefire at negotiations in Istanbul.

The sides agreed on a large-scale swap of captured soldiers and exchanged their road maps to peace at the discussions, which lasted less than two hours.

More than three years into Russia’s offensive – which has killed tens of thousands on both sides and forced millions from their homes in eastern Ukraine – the two countries appear as irreconcilable as ever.

“The settlement issue is extremely complex and involves a large number of nuances,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday. “It would be wrong to expect immediate solutions and breakthroughs.”

Moscow demanded Ukraine pull its troops out of four eastern and southern regions that Russia claims to have annexed as a condition to pausing its offensive, according to the document handed to the Ukrainians that was published by Russian state media.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a video from the emergency services showing destroyed cars and the body of a victim lying on the road. Picture: AFP

Kyiv had pressed for a full and unconditional ceasefire. Russia instead offered a partial truce of two to three days in some areas of the frontline, its top negotiator said after the talks.

Mr Peskov also dismissed the idea of a summit between the presidents of Russia, Ukraine and the US.

“In the near future, it is unlikely,” Mr Peskov told reporters when asked about the chances of the leaders meeting, adding that such a summit could only happen after Russian and Ukrainian negotiators reach an “agreement”.

The White House had said on Monday US President Donald Trump was “open” to the idea, which is also backed by Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Targeting civilians

Mr Zelensky accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilians in a rocket attack on the city of Sumy, about 30km from the Russian border, that killed three people.

Russian troops have accelerated their advance, seeking to establish what Putin called a “buffer zone” inside Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region.

Mr Zelensky posted a video from the emergency services showing destroyed cars and the body of one victim lying on the road.

The attack “says everything one needs to know about Russia’s so-called desire to end this war”, he added, calling for “decisive actions” from the US and Europe to push Russia into a ceasefire.

“Every day, Russia gives new reasons for tougher sanctions and stronger support for our defence,” he said.

Three people were also killed in a rocket attack in the northeastern Kharkiv region.

Moscow said the army had captured the village of Andriivka in the Sumy region, located about 5km from the Russian border.

AFP, AP