Ukraine war latest: Military confirms strikes on key bridges linking occupied Crimea with mainland Ukraine
Key developments on Aug. 6:
- Ukraine hit two bridges in Crimea
- Ukrainian forces hit Russian positions, ammo depots
- Drone attack reported near Moscow
- Ukraine's Air Force: 30 missiles, 27 drones shot down overnight
Ukraine targeted key bridges that connect occupied Crimea to mainland Ukraine.
The strikes have been set to disrupt Russian forces' logistics and create further challenges for their operations on the southern fronts.
The Ukrainian military's Strategic Communications Directorate confirmed striking the Chonhar and Henichesk bridges at around 3 p.m. local time on Aug. 6.
Chonhar Bridge is located on a narrow piece of land in northern Crimea and links the occupied peninsula with Kherson Oblast. Henichesk Bridge sits on the Arabat Spit, a barrier between the Henichesk Strait in the north and Crimea in the south.
The military didn't specify the type of missiles that struck the bridges.
Russian forces have relied on Chonhar Bridge as a supply route to transport ammunition and fuel for their troops on the southeastern front line amid the ongoing counteroffensive launched by Ukrainian forces.
Earlier the same day, Russian proxies in Crimea and Kherson Oblasts said Ukraine hit the bridges using British-French-made Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles.
Russian proxies also reported suspending traffic through the Chonhar checkpoint.
Ukraine repeatedly targeted Chonhar Bridge in late July and early August with cruise missiles.
These strikes inflicted significant logistical setbacks on the Russian military, according to the Ukrainian military.
Alexander Khrebet
Missile attacks
Ukraine's Air Force reported on Aug. 6 that 30 missiles and 27 Shahed loitering munitions were shot down by air defense overnight during Russia's latest mass attack that came in several waves.
Air Force specified it downed 17 out of 20 Kalibr cruise missiles and 13 out of 20 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles.
It is unclear whether the Ukrainian military downed Kinzhal missiles as the Air Force said they wouldn't provide information.
Russian launched 30 missiles, 48 air strikes, and shelled 32 times Ukrainian military positions and civilian areas with multiple rocket launchers, targeting over 90 settlements in the Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Khmelnytskyi, Mykolaiv and Kherson oblasts over the past day, according to the General Staff.
One of the attacks aimed to hit the airfield in Starokostiantyniv in Khmelnytskyi Oblast, the base for a tactical aviation brigade. Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said on national television on Aug. 6 that the attack on the airfield was ineffective.
Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, the commander for Tavriia military sector, reported on Aug. 6 that Russian forces have also attempted 21 assaults on Ukrainian positions over the past day.
He said Russian troops have lost up to two companies killed and wounded in action, 21 military hardware pieces, and six ammunition depots.
Tarnavskyi didn't specify the number of Russian troops killed and wounded, but the size of a Russian army company can vary between 30 and 150 soldiers depending on the type of troops.
Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reported on Aug. 4 that "in some places" on the southern front line, the Ukrainian military has breached the Russian first defense line, moving to the "intermediate one."
She said Ukraine is prioritizing its counteroffensive operations in the country's south, while for Russia, the main direction for assaults is the east.
Russia reportedly transfers its reserves, mainly professional soldiers, to the eastern and southern front lines, where Ukraine's counteroffensive is ongoing.
Elsa Court
Attacks inside Russia
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Aug. 6 that a drone headed to Russia's capital city was downed around 11:27 a.m. local time.
Several flights were suspended at Vnukovo International Airport, 30 kilometers southwest of Moscow. Other flights were redirected to the other airports, Russia's state news agency reported later that day.
No casualties were reported.
Repeated drone strikes have been reported in Moscow and other parts of Russia in recent weeks.
On Aug. 1, Russian state media claimed several drones were intercepted and shot down over Moscow.
The Russian Defense Ministry also wrote that three drones attacked Moscow overnight on July 30.
Meanwhile, Governor of Russia's Kursk Oblast Roman Starovoyt claimed on Aug. 6 that the village of Kuliga was shelled "from Ukrainian direction," damaging houses.
No casualties were reported.
Kuliga is located some 65 kilometers (40 miles) from the border with Ukraine's Sumy Oblast, which has been subjected to constant Russian shelling.
Ukraine hasn't claimed responsibility for the drone strikes.
However, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on July 30 that it's "natural and fair" that the war is "gradually returning to Russian territory."
