Ukraine's Defence Intelligence Chief on recent explosions near Crimean Bridge: There was another target

Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), has stated that the bridge was not the target while commenting on the recent explosions near the Kerch (Crimean) Bridge connecting occupied Crimea with Russia.

Source: Kyrylo Budanov in an interview with Krym.Realii (Crimea.Realities, a project by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)

Quote: "I want to tell you directly that there was another target. But four anti-aircraft missiles were launched to intercept it, and it went off course after hitting a little. Not significantly. They (the Russians) believed that the bridge was the target. Well, let them believe that. There is nothing like that here anymore. Because it is in the past."

Details: Budanov says that the damage from the weapon that was used was "totally insignificant" because the weapon "went a little further, and it didn't go to the bridge."

Budanov did not specify which target they planned to hit.

Quote: "Because they used four anti-aircraft missiles to hit that target, they knocked it off course a little bit. Not much. And it hit the Crimean Bridge, eventually.

But the fact that it hit [the bridge] was nothing compared to when they used the smoke [screen] from the local population's point of view. That's when the panic started. Because when the smoke went out on a large scale, and before that there were explosions, people started to spread terrible panic by word of mouth. That is, they [the Russians] essentially punished themselves. Divine retribution, if you will."

Background:

• At least two attacks on the Kerch Bridge were reported on 12 August. At first, the Russian occupation authorities announced that two missiles had been shot down. The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation said that S-200 systems were used to attack the Kerch Bridge, and the Ukrainian missile was allegedly shot down. There was no destruction, the Russian ministry claimed. The Ukrainian side did not comment on Moscow's statement at the time.
• Later, repeated explosions near the bridge were reported. Sergei Aksyonov, the so-called head of the Russian administration in occupied Crimea, said that another missile attacked the Kerch Bridge. He claimed that the missile was shot down over the Kerch Strait.
• A Russian long- and medium-range S-400 Triumf anti-aircraft missile system was destroyed on the Cape Tarkhankut on 23 August. 
• Ukrainian intelligence units disembarked on the peninsula near Cape Tarkhankut and raised the flag of Ukraine on the occupied peninsula.
• The set of measures as part of the special operation in occupied Crimea is ongoing, according to Ukrainska Pravda’s intelligence sources.

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