Ukrainian Intelligence Chief Unveils Disruption in Crimean Bridge, Effectively Alters Naval Operations

 

  A sea drone assault by Ukrainian forces on Russia's Crimean bridge in July resulted in a significant upheaval in naval operations, compelling Moscow to resort to ferry transportation for weaponry movement, revealed Vasyl Maliuk, the Director of Ukraine's primary intelligence agency, in a Friday video broadcast.

Maliuk, who heads the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), highlighted that a subsequent attack in August further disrupted activities on the 19-km (12-mile) bridge, the longest in Europe. This event not only posed a logistical challenge but also shattered the perceived invincibility of Russian forces.

"We have practically overturned the philosophy of naval operations,"  Maliuk emphasized in the inaugural episode of the televised documentary series titled "SBU, the Special Operations of Victory."

"The myth of Russian invincibility has been dismantled. The nation is a facade. The fate of the bridge is sealed. Anticipate numerous surprises ahead, extending beyond the Crimean bridge."

Maliuk detailed the orchestrated attack, sanctioned by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, employing five "Sea Baby" seaborne drones remotely operated from Kyiv, situated 1000 km (600 miles) to the north.

Captured video footage depicted a fiery explosion on the bridge, accompanied by the jubilation of technicians in a control room celebrating the successful outcome.

According to the documentary, intelligence reports submitted by agents indicated that six out of eight supporting structures were obliterated, and two sustained damage, compelling Russian forces to shift to ferries for the transportation of weaponry to their troops.

Russia, in response, claimed that the July assault resulted in the deaths of two individuals on the bridge connecting the Crimean peninsula to the Russian mainland via road and rail. Despite ongoing traffic on the bridge, Russian officials asserted that repair work is still in progress.

Completed amidst grandeur in 2018, four years after the annexation of the peninsula by Moscow, the bridge has held symbolic significance as Russian territory forever. The assault on the bridge stands as one of several offensive actions by Ukraine in the Black Sea, including a missile strike on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol in September.

Zelenskiy said this month that Ukraine has seized the initiative from Russia in the Black Sea and, thanks to the use of naval drones, forced Russia's naval fleet and warships to pull back.