Title: Ukraine Releases Pilot-Screen Footage of Sea Drone Attack on Kerch Bridge
Date: 16 August 2023
Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service has revealed that it was behind the attack on the Russian-built Kerch Strait Bridge, connecting Crimea to the mainland last month. The agency claimed that the attack was carried out using remotely controlled sea drones developed internally.
Vasyl Malyuk, the head of the SBU, disclosed in an interview with CNN that the drone, named “Sea Baby,” was equipped with 850kg warheads. Two of these drones were responsible for the explosion that damaged the road and rail bridge on 17 July, resulting in the deaths of two individuals.
Malyuk also mentioned that the SBU was responsible for recent attacks on a Russian warship and an oil tanker suspected of supplying fuel for Russia’s military.
Previously, Ukraine had been discreet about its involvement in attacks on Russian infrastructure, Crimea, and Russia itself. However, Malyuk expressed the agency’s determination to highlight the maritime threat to its adversary.
The Kerch Strait Bridge holds significant importance for Russia, as it serves as a crucial connection between Crimea and the Russian mainland. Constructed after Moscow’s occupation of Crimea in 2014, the bridge has been a repeated target for Ukraine. Malyuk also claimed responsibility for an apparent truck bombing that damaged the bridge last October.
The SBU released a video showcasing the pilot’s view leading up to one of the Sea Baby drones striking a concrete support pillar of the bridge. Additionally, they provided two CCTV videos displaying the immediate impact of the two bombings.
The bombings occurred in the early morning of 17 July, resulting in the deaths of a couple from the Belgorod region. Their 14-year-old daughter, who was accompanying them to Crimea, sustained injuries in the attack.
Video evidence displayed a section of the road bridge being severed, causing the halting of traffic. However, rail services to the occupied peninsula remained unaffected. At the time, Ukraine had not taken responsibility for the attack but had hinted at its involvement.
Following the SBU’s claim, Russia’s defense ministry reported shooting down three Ukrainian drones in the Kaluga region, southwest of Moscow.
Ukraine’s deputy defense minister, Hanna Mailar, announced the liberation of the village of Urozhaine, located seven miles south of Velyka Novosilka, as part of its counteroffensive on the southern front. This region has seen ongoing fighting, with Kyiv’s forces progressing gradually down a river valley.
In response to Russia’s actions, Ukrainian authorities stated that Russian drones attacked warehouses in the Danube port town of Reni, situated near the Romanian border. These warehouses had become crucial transit points for goods, including grains, due to the security situation in the Black Sea.
Furthermore, Ukraine revealed that the first merchant ship utilizing a temporary maritime corridor had departed from Odesa, heading towards the Bosphorus Strait. This corridor was established after Russia withdrew from a grain agreement and declared that merchant shipping would be seen as a military target. The container ship, Joseph Schulte, registered under the Hong Kong flag, carried 30,000 tonnes of cargo, including food.
Recent tensions also saw Russia’s navy firing warning shots and boarding a barge that was en route from Turkey to the Ukrainian Danube port of Izmail. After discovering the barge was empty, the Russians departed, allowing it to continue its journey.
Ukraine’s actions, including the sea drone attack on the Kerch Bridge, underscore the ongoing conflict between the two nations and the significant role played by strategic infrastructure in the region.