Crossing Crimean bridge looks like crossing state border — Ukrainian Navy spokesman

On August 24, Ukraine’s Independence Day, Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, announced that the Ukrainian military has plans to liberate the occupied Ukrainian territories. This includes the return of Crimea and the destruction of the Crimean Bridge.

Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Navy, reiterated this statement on Hromadske Radio. He said that it is difficult to increase the protection of the Crimean Bridge any further.

Pletenchuk notes that the main defense for crossing the strait is air defense, which the occupiers rely on the most. The second component of protection is by sea. Previously, the bridge was guarded by 10 to 14 warships and boats of the Russian FSB coast guard.

“Now there are no ships there,” Pletenchuk added.

To compensate for the absence of the coast guard, the occupiers use aviation, including planes and helicopters. They are also trying to build extensive structures around the Kerch Bridge, but these efforts may soon be halted by the start of the storm season. According to Pletenchuk, crossing the Crimean Bridge now resembles crossing a state border. It is heavily controlled and monitored by the Russian Guard.

He also mentioned that a submarine carrying cruise missiles is currently in the Black Sea, but it is likely performing a security function.

“There are basically no ships in the Sea of Azov,” Pletenchuk noted.

The Crimean Bridge

As a reminder, the Crimean Bridge has been and remains a military target. Vice Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpapa, Commander of the Ukrainian Navy, emphasized this point, stating, that to liberate the occupied Crimea, the Kerch Bridge must be destroyed because it remains an element of logistics. And all Russian military logistics must be destroyed.

Neizhpapa further explained, that The Kerch Bridge is a logistics chain that supports the aggressor. All logistics chains must be neutralized in order to win. The bridge still serves as a supply chain for the occupation forces. Therefore, the Crimean Bridge has been and remains a military target.