Russia reportedly closes Crimean Bridge amid explosions in Kerch
Editor's note: The story was updated with comments made by Russia's Defense Ministry.
The Crimean Bridge was temporarily closed late on June 29 following reports of explosions and active air defense fire in the city of Kerch, according to local Telegram channels.
Witnesses reported hearing multiple blasts and observing Russian air defense systems in action. "Explosions heard in Kerch, Russian air defense is firing, and the lighting on the Crimean Bridge has been turned off," the Crimean Wind Telegram channel reported.
Ukraine has frequently targeted the Crimean Bridge over the course of the Russian full-scale invasion. Constructed after Russia's illegal occupation of Crimea in 2014, it is a critical supply and transport route for Russian forces to the occupied Ukrainian territories.
Traffic on the bridge was briefly halted, though it remains unclear whether the closure was precautionary or due to damage. Traffic reportedly resumed just over an hour later.
Russia's Defense Ministry said on June 30 that its air defense systems shot down five Ukrainian drones overnight over the Sea of Azov. It did not report any damage in Kerch or to the Crimean Bridge.
The incident follows a series of Ukrainian attacks on the Crimean Bridge. On June 3, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) confirmed it had carried out a third strike targeting the bridge, detonating 1,100 kilograms of explosives beneath its underwater supports.
"God loves the Trinity, and the SBU always brings what is conceived to the end and never repeats itself," SBU Chief Vasyl Malyuk said in a statement at the time. The operation, he added, had been planned over several months and caused "severe" damage to the bridge's foundations without harming civilians.
Russian media later claimed a Ukrainian intelligence agent involved in preparing the explosive had been detained by the Federal Security Service (FSB).
The bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, previously suffered damage in Ukrainian attacks in October 2022 and July 2023. Despite these strikes, Russia has worked to maintain the bridge's operational status due to its strategic and symbolic importance.