Russia's Defense Ministry reported in the early hours of Sept. 2 that its forces had destroyed three unmanned boats being used in an attempt to target the Crimea bridge. The ministry accused Ukraine of the attack.
The bridge, linking the peninsula to Russia's mainland, was completed in 2018, four years after Russia occupied and annexed the peninsula from Ukraine. It has come under numerous attacks in the 18-month-old full-scale invasion.
Ukraine didn't confirm responsibility for the attack.
The British Defense Ministry of Defense said in its Sept. 1 war intelligence update that “Russia is employing a range of passive defenses such as smoke generators and underwater barriers, alongside active defense measures such as air defense systems" around the Black Sea.
Over the past few weeks, there has been a notable uptick in attacks targeting Russian-occupied Crimea and the naval installations in its vicinity. Ukraine has bolstered its counteroffensive efforts in the southeast region, leading to an intensified assault.
These strikes have primarily concentrated on disrupting Russian logistics routes to and from Crimea. Additionally, they have taken aim at ammunition depots associated with Russia's Black Sea Fleet, which is stationed in the occupied port city of Sevastopol.
Alexander Khrebet
