(TJV NEWS)  Ukraine’s security service claimed responsibility for a dramatic new strike on the Crimean Bridge early Tuesday, saying it used explosives planted beneath the water to damage the key link between Russia and the occupied Crimean Peninsula.

According to a statement from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) posted on Telegram, operatives placed explosive devices on the underwater piers supporting the bridge—also known as the Kerch Bridge—and detonated them at precisely 4:44 a.m. local time. The agency said the operation took months of planning and involved roughly 1,100 kilograms of explosives, which reportedly caused significant damage to the bridge’s foundation.

Traffic across the bridge was halted in the early morning and again in the afternoon, before partially resuming later in the day, Ukrainian and Russian sources reported. Though the full extent of the damage remains unclear, the strike marks the third major attack on the bridge since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The bridge, which connects the Russian mainland to Crimea across the Kerch Strait, is a critical military and symbolic asset for Moscow. It serves as a major supply route for Russian forces in southern Ukraine and is considered by many in the Kremlin as a symbol of President Vladimir Putin’s grip on the annexed territory.

“The Crimean Bridge is a completely legitimate target,” said SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk, who reportedly oversaw the operation. “It’s used as a military logistics route by the enemy to fuel their war effort.” He added, “God loves a trinity, and the SBU never repeats the same trick twice. After two successful hits in 2022 and 2023, today we struck again — this time from underwater.”

Ukraine’s past attacks on the bridge have included a fuel truck explosion in October 2022 and a sea drone strike in July 2023, both of which resulted in extensive damage but were followed by swift Russian repair efforts. The Kremlin has maintained that such attacks will not deter its military operations or diminish control over Crimea.

In the wake of the latest strike, Russian authorities also temporarily suspended maritime traffic near Sevastopol, Crimea’s largest city and a key naval base. The move, reported by Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti, appeared to be a precaution amid heightened security concerns.

Tuesday’s underwater strike follows a bold weekend drone attack on Russian airfields, also claimed by the SBU, which reportedly damaged a significant portion of Russia’s nuclear-capable strategic bombers. Malyuk estimated that the assault caused roughly $7 billion in damage and disabled about a third of Russia’s cruise missile delivery platforms.

The ongoing strikes by Ukraine’s intelligence and military services highlight a growing strategy of targeting Russian infrastructure deep beyond the front lines—meant to disrupt logistics and signal Ukraine’s ongoing resistance, even as front-line battles grind on.

The Crimean Bridge, opened by Putin in 2018 after Russia’s 2014 annexation of the peninsula, cost approximately $3.7 billion to build. Beyond its military value, it remains a powerful emblem of Moscow’s claims over Crimea.

While Russia has not publicly confirmed the extent of the damage, photos released by the SBU appear to show structural harm to the bridge’s underwater support system.

This latest strike underscores Ukraine’s continued resolve to keep the war far from over — and to remind Moscow that even its most symbolic assets are not beyond reach.