Ukraine on Thursday struck a key bridge linking annexed Crimea to a partially Russian-occupied southern region, while Moscow says Kiev’s counteroffensive is stalling.
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Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014, serves as a base for Russian forces, particularly for sending reinforcements and servicing equipment. The few bridges connecting the peninsula to occupied southern Ukraine are vital to the conduct of these operations.
“During the night, the Khangar Bridge, consisting of two parallel roads connecting Crimea with the Kherson region in southern Ukraine, was hit, said the Russian governor of the annexed peninsula, Sergei Aksionov.
He added that the strike did not cause casualties. This bridge is on the most direct route between Crimea and Melitopol, one of the largest cities captured by the Russians in their offensive in southern Ukraine.
Administrative official for the occupied part of the Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo, said Ukrainian forces likely used British long-range storm shadow missiles, an unverifiable claim by an independent source.
Mr Saldo posted video showing the two sections of the bridge damaged by the strike, one of which is significantly more damaged and has a gaping hole in the carriageway leading to the water below.
Ukrainian forces “try to intimidate residents of Kherson to sow panic among the population,” he accused.
“Psychological Effects”
Crimea is regularly the target of Ukrainian attacks, particularly by drones.
In October 2022, a massive explosion severely damaged the only bridge directly connecting annexed Crimea to Russia.
A member of the Ukrainian government in Kherson, Yuriy Sobolevskiy, said that the damage to the Changar Bridge was “of great importance” because “it is a blow to Russian military logistics” that will also have “psychological repercussions”.
However, Russia continues to claim that the Ukrainian counteroffensive failed.
On Thursday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed that Ukraine’s armed forces had “reduced activities” to “regroup” after “heavy casualties”.
But the head of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigoyine, on Thursday accused the Russian general staff of “lying” to Vladimir Putin about the situation at the front. “There are colossal problems,” he said.
Putin cautiously estimated on Thursday that “the enemy’s offensive potential has not yet been exhausted” and referred to “strategic reserves” that Kiev has not yet exhausted. He urged the Russian army to “take this reality into account”.
For its part, Ukraine says it is moving forward slowly but surely, claiming to have taken over eight localities since early June. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Khmygal warned on Thursday that the counter-offensive “will take time” as Kiev wants to carry out “smart” actions. However, he said he was “optimistic”.
Analysts say Kiev is still testing Russia’s defenses before throwing the bulk of its forces into battle.
Devastated, recaptured village
In Storojevé, a village recently taken by Kiev troops in the east, the damage is everywhere: hardly any trace of civilian presence, houses with destroyed roofs, walls riddled with bullets.
On its back lies the corpse of a Russian soldier, while amid artillery skirmishes between the two camps, Ukrainian soldiers proudly display their loot, such as bulletproof vests or a helmet.
“We are at home,” says Valentin, who took part in the battles to recapture Storojevé. He hopes the counter-offensive will repel the Russians and says slyly that one day in Moscow he wants to eat “ice cream on Red Square” that he bought with Ukrainian currency.
Amid a counter-offensive, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday urged NATO leaders, who are due to meet in Lithuania in mid-July, to focus on boosting military aid to Ukraine, which is the “top priority”.
In addition, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia on Thursday of preparing a “terrorist” attack to release radioactive radiation from the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, which he occupies. The Kremlin denounced a “lie”.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director Rafael Grossi is due to meet with Russian Atomic Energy Agency chief Alexei Likhachev in Kaliningrad on Friday to discuss the security of the Zaporizhia power plant, where he surrendered last week.