Crimea bridge blast can have 'serious' implications on Russia’s logistics amid war: UK MoD

The damage to the Kerch bridge in Crimea from Saturday’s explosion could have a “significant” impact on Russia’s “already strained ability to sustain its forces” in the southern region of Ukraine, according to the latest intelligence update from the UK’s Ministry of Defence.

The blast “will likely touch President Putin closely,” claimed the UK MoD. The blast on Kerth bridge may sting President Putin as the bridge was constructed under contract by a close childhood friend of the Russian President, Arkady Rotenberg. Putin had personally sponsored and inaugurated the bridge, reported the Guardian. Moreover, the blast came on Putin’s 70th birthday as Russia has already been losing ground amid Ukraine’s highly effective counteroffensive.  

Significance of the Kerch Strait Bridge  

The Kerch Strait Bridge, which was built in the year 2018, was intended to connect Crimea with Russia's transportation system. UK’s Ministry of Defense stated that the bridge’s rail crossing had played a key role in moving heavy military vehicles to the war’s southern front during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  

The extent of damage to the rail crossing was uncertain, it said, but any serious disruption to its capacity would be “highly likely” to significantly affect Russian forces in Ukraine’s south.  

The bridge links the road and rail crossings between Russian-occupied Crimea and the Krasnodar region of Russia. Moreover, the UK MoD tweet revealed that 08th October's blast destroyed two of the four carriageways of the roadway over a length of approximately 250 meters. Furthermore, the damaged trackway will seriously degrade the capacity for the commute, informed the tweet.  

Meanwhile, Mick Ryan, a retired Australian Army Major General, lauded Ukraine’s operations on Twitter pointing out the “excellent” operational design of the Ukrainian military. The retired Australian Major General wrote further, “This could be part of their design for taking back Crimea in the short term - or part of a deception operation to distract from other areas.”  

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had earlier vowed in an address to the nation to take back all the land lost to Russia amid its invasion, including Crimea. Ukraine’s counteroffensive has led to significant gains amid the war. Meanwhile, Russia’s annexation of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions has intensified the conflict as the EU announced the 8th package of sanctions against the Russian Federation.