Russian Logistics Are Being Disrupted by Crimea Bridge Attacks, Says ISW

The strikes by Kyiv on crucial bridges that link the annexed Crimean peninsula to southern Ukraine and mainland Russia are placing substantial pressure on Moscow’s capacity to transport resources and defend against Ukraine’s ongoing counteroffensive, as stated in a recent evaluation.

Ukrainian forces are employing a strategic approach to target Russia’s supply routes in Crimea, executing a planned strategy to disrupt Russian logistics, thereby creating a backdrop for larger counteroffensive actions. This analysis has been provided by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), headquartered in Washington D.C., which released its findings on Saturday.

The counteroffensive by Kyiv, which is currently in its third month, has been primarily focused on southern and eastern Ukraine, encompassing the annexed Kherson region. Nevertheless, Ukraine has maintained a consistent determination to reclaim Crimea, a territory under Russian control since 2014, even during the preceding 18 months of intense conflict and earlier years.

Moscow has alleged that Ukraine has repeatedly targeted the Chonhar Bridge, linking Kherson and Crimea, along with the Kerch Bridge, which connects Crimea to mainland Russia.

According to the ISW’s latest assessment, the continuous strikes by Ukraine on the bridges that facilitate Russian ground communication between occupied Crimea and Kherson Oblast have persistently disrupted Russian logistical operations.

The Chonhar Bridge originates from the Russian military logistics center in northern Crimea and extends to Russian-controlled territory within Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region. The UK’s defense ministry has previously identified Dzhankoi, situated in Crimea, as a crucial road and rail intersection vital for supplying Russian troops and serving as a pivotal military airfield.

In a recent incident, Russia’s Defense Ministry attributed an “attempted” strike on the Kerch Bridge to Ukraine, involving the conversion of an S-200 surface-to-air guided missile into an offensive weapon.

Sergey Aksyonov, the Russian-appointed governor of Crimea, conveyed through Telegram that the air defenses had effectively intercepted and eliminated two Ukrainian missiles in the vicinity of the Kerch Strait. He affirmed that the 12-mile bridge connecting the Russian mainland to the annexed peninsula remained unharmed.

On the same day, a statement from Moscow reported that Ukraine had deployed 20 drones towards Crimea, of which 14 were neutralized by air defenses. The remaining six were reportedly countered through electronic warfare, as declared by the Defense Ministry.

The precise strikes launched by Ukraine against these vital bridges have prompted Moscow’s forces to formulate alternate methods for transporting ammunition and supplies from Crimea to their bases on the Ukrainian mainland. As stated by Nataliya Humeniuk, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s southern operational command, this strategy aims to deplete existing stockpiles and impede their ability to resupply. These developments were reported by the Ukrainian outlet UNIAN in late July.

By: M Z Hossain, Editor Sky Buzz Feed