[Uncertainty Surrounding the Recent Attack on the Crimea Bridge]

On June 3, RIA Novosti reported that automobile traffic on the Crimea Bridge was temporarily closed. The report was received at 15:23 local time (20:23 Beijing Time). People on the bridge and in the security check area were asked to remain calm and follow the instructions of traffic safety personnel. Sea passenger services in Sevastopol were also suspended.

This is the second closure of the day for Crimea. Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that around 6:00 a.m. (11:00 Beijing Time), Russia's air defense system intercepted a Ukrainian drone over the Crimea Bridge. The debris fell onto the road surface in the Taman direction, with no casualties or damage to the bridge structure. After the incident, the bridge was closed for three hours while professionals inspected the road and cleared debris. The last time the Ukrainian military attacked the bridge was when Russian forces intercepted HIMARS missiles over it in 2024.

Today, the Ukrainian Security Service announced that this attack on the bridge not only involved drones but also claimed to have carried out an explosion using 1,100 kilograms of TNT at one of the underwater supports of the Crimea Bridge at 4:44 a.m. (9:44 a.m. Beijing Time). However, from the video released by the Ukrainian Security Service, this does not appear to be the scale of an explosion equivalent to over a ton of TNT. The explosion occurred near a support column, which remained undamaged, while adjacent protective facilities were destroyed. From the images, the bridge appears to still be operational, with traffic resuming after 9:00 a.m. local time.

The questions are: (1) How was the explosive material transported and placed underwater? (2) Why does the Ukrainian Security Service have surveillance footage of the bridge? (3) Is this just the first explosive device, with others yet to detonate?

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1833912348503052/

Disclaimer: This article solely represents the author's personal views.