Russians ramp up Crimean Bridge defense as Kyiv shifts strategy
Russians still fear an attack on the Crimean Bridge. Satellite photos show they are increasing the defense of the crossing. Previously, they maintained between 10 and 14 units in the area, but now the number has risen to over 30.
10:21 AM EDT, July 24, 2024
Russians still fear an attack on the Crimean Bridge. Satellite photos reveal they are boosting the defense of the crossing.
"Russia continues to add barges along the Crimean Bridge to act as barriers against Ukraine's naval drones," writes Brady Africk, an analyst from the Foreign Policy and Defense Studies Department at the American Enterprise Institute.
According to his analysis, Russians have increased the number of boats in the area to over 30. Previously, between 10 and 14 ships and boats were deployed simultaneously at the bridge.
Kyiv suddenly cancels the attack
Right after the June peace summit in Switzerland, Dmytro Pletentchuk, spokesman for the Ukrainian Naval Forces, stated, "destruction of Kerch Bridge won't be as effective anymore."
The naval spokesman admitted that current military transports across the bridge are sporadic. "Therefore, this bridge is no longer of such tactical and strategic importance after the damage it sustained as a result of a joint operation by the SBU (Ukraine's Security Service) and the Navy with a drone attack," said Pletentchuk.
The spokesman for the Ukrainian Naval Forces reminded the bridge carries less than one-fourth of the total transport, and the rest goes along the ferry crossing, which Ukraine recently attacked.
This surprising statement comes as just a few weeks earlier, Kyiv was vowing that the crossing connecting occupied Crimea with Russia would be destroyed.
