CNN releases exclusive footage of attack on Crimean Bridge in July

Ukrainian intelligence services have provided CNN with exclusive footage of an experimental surface drone being used to attack the Kerch (Crimean) Bridge and new details of the attack.

Source: CNN

Details: Vasyl Maliuk, Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), told CNN that the drone used was named Sea Baby, and it was the result of months of development that began immediately after the full-scale invasion.

"Sea surface drones are a unique invention of the Security Service of Ukraine. None of the private companies are involved. Using these drones we have recently conducted a successful hit of the Crimean bridge, the big assault ship Olengorskiy Gornyak and SIG tanker," Maliuk said.

The SSU provided CNN with video footage of the July attack, which shows the pilot's screen moments before Sea Baby delivered up to 850 kilograms of explosives to one of the bridge's concrete piers.

Sources within the SSU also provided CNN with two surveillance videos showing one drone crashing onto the road part of the bridge, followed about five minutes later by the explosion of another drone hitting the railway part on the opposite side.

"We are working on a number of new interesting operations, including in the Black Sea waters. I promise you, it’ll be exciting, especially for our enemies," Maliuk added.

Maliuk also claimed responsibility for the first Ukrainian attack on the bridge on 8 October 2022, but refused to provide details.

He noted that the July drone attack was the result of months of preparation for a joint operation with the Ukrainian navy, which he led with Navy Admiral Oleksii Neizhpapa.

"At the final stage of the preparation we could not even think about sleep or food. We were fully concentrated on the operation. The final last days were quite nervous. When the explosion happened, we were so happy and started congratulating one another. This was a very emotional moment for all of us and our victory, which will definitely come soon," Maliuk recollected.

As Maliuk stated, Ukraine's Western partners have shown interest in their activities and a desire to learn from their experience.

However, he also noted: "They do not participate in our operations or provide us with any equipment or anything else. These drones are produced at an underground production facility at the territory of Ukraine. The targets I’ve mentioned are legitimate targets according to the Ukrainian and international laws."

Background:

• Sergey Aksyonov, the so-called head of Russian-occupied Crimea, said that an "emergency" had occurred on the Crimean Bridge and that traffic on the bridge was suspended. Russian Telegram channels reported that a span of the bridge had "collapsed".
• Earlier, Russian media reported that the Crimean Bridge was guarded by fighter jets from the sky and divers and fighting dolphins underwater. 
• Sources told Ukrainska Pravda that the nighttime attack on the Crimean Bridge was a special operation by the SSU and the Navy.

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