Underwater explosives hit Russia’s bridge to Crimea

Ukrainian forces blew up supports of the Kerch bridge in Crimea overnight, the Ukrainian Security Service said Tuesday. The bridge, built after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, is an artery for Russian troops moving into Ukraine. It connects Russia to Crimea, spanning the Kerch Strait. Ukrainian Security Service agents spent several months mining the bridge supports with more than 2,400 pounds of underwater explosives, according to the agency.

The explosives detonated before 5 a.m. local time without causing any civilian casualties, according to the Ukrainian Security Service. The explosion left the bridge in critical condition, the agency said. The Kremlin didn’t immediately comment Tuesday on the explosion or the status of the bridge.

What other covert operations has Ukraine carried out recently? The Ukrainian Security Service on Sunday targeted Russian aircraft at four different airfields. It said drones destroyed 41 planes in the attack, though the Kremlin did not confirm that number.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s breakdown of the drone operation and Russia-Ukraine peace talks.