Ukrainian intelligence on attempts to protect Crimean Bridge: Russians' favourite habit, let them flood the ships
Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence, does not think that flooding ferries below the Crimean Bridge will help the Russian occupiers.
Source: Budanov in an interview for Crimea.Realii, a Radio Liberty project
Details: Asked whether flooding the ships would help Russian troops protect the Kerch Bridge, Budanov hinted that it will not stop the Defence Forces of Ukraine.
Quote: "You do realise that we are aware of this. Let them flood [the ships – ed.]. Look, this is a favourite habit of the Russians. Remember there is a famous monument in the city of Sevastopol? A monument to sunken ships. Times change, but their habits don’t. But I want to remind you that when they flooded the fleet, it didn’t really help them. Look up the history.
By the way, they did this when they were taking over Crimea. I don’t remember whether it was a big old anti-submarine ship or a guard ship at the entrance to the Donuzlav bay when the Olefirenko was not able to leave. [The Yurii Olefirenko is a Ukrainian ship which was subject to multiple Russian attacks during the war – ed.] They did the same thing. This, it seems to me, is more of a habit to them – to flood something somewhere and [think that] it will help somehow."
Background: On 22 August, Ukrainian Defence Intelligence reported that the Russians had begun flooding ferries in the Kerch Strait to protect the Crimean Bridge from attacks. They plan to flood at least six watercraft and place containment booms between them.
Background:
- There have been at least two successful attacks on the Crimean Bridge. The first attack on the Crimean Bridge occurred on the morning of 8 October 2022, the day after Vladimir Putin's 70th birthday. It involved a truck carrying explosives packed in plastic wrap. Ukraine launched the second strike on the bridge on the night of 17 July 2023 with an uncrewed surface vessel. The operation was named Sea Baby after the drones.
- On 12 August 2023, two explosions occurred in a single day in Russian-occupied Crimea near the Kerch Bridge. The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that an attempt was made to strike the Kerch Bridge with S-200 anti-aircraft missiles.
- Budanov said the bridge was not the target of the attacks on 12 August.
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