Russia’s Defense Ministry said early Saturday that Russian forces had destroyed a drone used in an attempt to attack a bridge connecting the Crimean peninsula to the Russian mainland.
The bridge was frequently attacked during Russia’s 18-month invasion of Ukraine. The bridge was completed in 2018 or four years after Russia controlled and annexed the Crimean peninsula.
“On September 1 at around 23.15, an attempted terror attack was carried out by the Kyiv regime using a half-laden unmanned boat,” the ministry said via the Telegram text messaging application.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the boat was “spotted and destroyed in time off the Black Sea coast.”
Ukrainian officials have not commented on the attacks on Russian targets. However, they say destroying Russia’s infrastructure is critical to the country’s war effort. Ukrainian officials usually make little or no comment at all.
Ukraine claimed responsibility for the attack on the bridge in July. The attack carried out by a maritime drone killed two people.
The 19-kilometer bridge spanning the Kerch Strait was heavily damaged in an explosion in October 2022. According to Russian officials, the incident was caused by a truck exploding while crossing the bridge. (ft)