Two Ukrainian missiles were shot down over a bridge connecting Russia-annexed Crimea to the mainland, Russian authorities say.
The Kerch bridge has come under repeated attack during the conflict.
“Two enemy missiles were shot down by air defense forces near the Kerch Strait. The Crimean bridge has not been damaged,” the Russia-appointed Head of Crimea Sergey Aksyonov said.
Photos and videos circulating on social media platforms showed white smoke billowing from the bridge. CNN has not independently verified the images.
Traffic on the bridge has been temporarily blocked following the attempted attack, officials said.
Some context: The Crimean bridge is a vital artery for supplying Russia’s war on Ukraine, allowing people and goods to flow into the Ukrainian territories that Moscow has occupied in the south and east of the country.
Also known as the Kerch Bridge, it holds personal value for Russian President Vladimir Putin. In the Kremlin narrative it marks the “reunification” of Crimea with the Russian mainland.
In October, the bridge was partially destroyed when a fuel tanker exploded and damaged a large section of the road. The Kremlin was quick to blame Kyiv for that explosion, and Putin alleged that it was an act of “sabotage” by Ukrainian security services.
The bridge was also hit by two strikes in July in an attack a Ukrainian security official told CNN Kyiv was responsible for.
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