(Reuters) – According to Vasyl Maliuk, the head of Ukraine’s Security Service, a sea drone attack on Russia’s Crimean bridge in July caused significant disruption to Russian naval operations, forcing them to use ferries to transport weaponry. Maliuk explained that a second major attack in August further disrupted operations on the 19-km (12-mile) bridge, which is Europe’s longest, and undermined the notion of Russian invincibility.
Maliuk stated, “We have practically overturned the philosophy of naval operations” and emphasized that the attack destroyed the myth of Russian invincibility. He also mentioned that the country and the bridge itself are “doomed”, hinting at more surprises to come.
The attack, approved by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, involved five “Sea Baby” seaborne drones controlled remotely from Kyiv, 1000 km (600 miles) to the north. Video clips were shown of a fiery explosion on the bridge, followed by celebrations in a control room.
The documentary reported that six out of eight supporting structures were destroyed, and two were damaged. As a result, Russian forces had to resort to using ferries to supply their troops with weapons. Russia claimed that the July attack had resulted in the deaths of two people on the bridge, which links the Crimean peninsula with the Russian mainland by road and rail.
The completion of the bridge in 2018, four years after Moscow annexed the peninsula and declared it as Russian territory forever, was a source of great pride for Russia. However, the attack on the bridge is just one of Ukraine’s offensive actions in the Black Sea, including a missile assault on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol in September.
According to Zelenskiy, Ukraine has seized the initiative from Russia in the Black Sea, using naval drones to force Russia’s naval fleet and warships to retreat. The use of drones has been a game-changer in Ukraine’s strategy against Russia in the Black Sea.
(Reporting by Ron Popeski and Oleksandr Kozhukhar; Editing by Josie Kao)
