Within the past several hours the Kerch Strait Bridge has again been rocked by several explosions. Some Russian reports indicate six explosions, some say as many as eight. Damage, if any, is unknown. The Guardian reports that guided S-200 missiles were fired at the bridge, though Russian authorities claim that all missiles were intercepted. An additional twenty drones were launched against targets in Crimea with unknown results. I particularly like the two individuals in the foreground of the video taking a walk like nothing is happening. I get it. When major infrastructure in my area gets blasted, I like to get my steps in.

Following the illegal occupation and annexation of Crimea in 2014, Russia constructed the Kerch Strait Bridge, linking Crimea with Russia. The twelve-mile-long bridge is the longest in Europe and serves as a vital logistical artery for Russian occupation forces in Crimea and in southern Ukraine. The Kerch Strait Bridge supports both vehicular and rail traffic – Russian logistics are particularly dependent on rail, and severing the rail bridge would be devastating for Russians on the peninsula.

Attacks on the bridge are indicative of an increasingly volatile situation in both Crimea and in the Black Sea. Recent drone attacks against Russian warships and commercial vessels serve not only to isolate Crimea but to damage Russia economically. Russian-bound shipping passing from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov must transit the Kerch Strait, and with every vessel struck and every explosion the rocks the bridge, maritime insurance underwriters will raise premiums or deny coverage to vessels bound for Russian ports. Strikes on the bridge not only serve the mid-term operational objective to render the Crimean Peninsula untenable to the Russian invaders, it serves a broader strategic goal of damaging the Russian economy by disrupting sea-borne trade through the Black Sea.

About the Author

Cam

Cam served as an infantry officer in the Marine Corps, deploying to the Horn of Africa and participating in combat operations in Iraq. He currently works in the maritime industry and in the defense sector as an instructor of combined arms planning and operations. An avid sailor, Cam founded and directs a nonprofit that supports veterans and first responders through sailing.