Storm damage weakens Russian defenses of Crimean Bridge
As reported by the Ukrainian agency Unian, the defensive structures around the Crimean Bridge are in poor condition due to storms. During a recent storm, the Russians lost equipment used to combat sea drones.
The Crimean Bridge connects the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula with the Taman Peninsula. This 18-kilometre-long structure is important for the Russian Federation as it provides essential logistics for their army. However, despite continuous efforts to secure the bridge from attacks, natural forces, namely the weather, also pose a threat. Recent heavy storms have weakened the Russians' defensive barges.
Russian barges around the Crimean Bridge succumb to the weather
Russian defensive structures around the Crimean Bridge are in poor condition, Unian reports. Adverse weather conditions, including storms, have caused damage, leaving the bridge exposed and vulnerable to Ukrainian surface drone attacks.
"Nature always intervenes," said Dmytro Pletentchuk, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, as quoted by Unian. He emphasized that the storms were expected to cause many Russian structures around the bridge to fail.
Occupiers constructed various structures around the bridge, including submerged protective elements and erected fences. Currently, many of these structures are non-operational, having succumbed to the destructive forces of nature. There are no indications that the situation will improve soon, as the storm season is expected to last several more months.
It is worth recalling that, according to analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko, the Crimean Bridge could serve as an escape route for the occupiers from Crimea. Although destroying the bridge is currently impossible due to strong air defences, new opportunities are emerging.
Ukrainian sea drones
In the context of the threat posed by surface drones, it should be noted that initially, Ukrainian constructions of this type were rather makeshift and had limited capabilities. However, over time, engineers have developed models such as Sea Baby, Mykola-3, Magura V5 (known in English as the Maritime Autonomous Guard Unmanned Robotic Apparatus), and the latest Stalker 5.0. These types of drones can carry explosive loads weighing several hundred kilograms and travel distances exceeding 500 kilometres.
