Crimea's Kerch Strait Bridge Damaged Again

I saw a brief reference to this late last night. An update via Brian Berletic and others follows, but first here’s a handy map of where the bridge is located:

OK, here’s what’s known, or thought to be known. It looks like the damage isn’t too serious.

ayden

@squatsons

Air traffic around Crimea leading up to the attack. The west has lost its collective mind.

5:21 AM · Jul 17, 2023

Two Global Hawk drones and a Boeing RC 135W Rivet Joint reconnaissance plane.

Lord Bebo

@MyLordBebo

Resident UA TG Channel: Our source in the Ukrainian president’s office said that the attack on the Crimean bridge was carried out using the British REMUS 600 autonomous underwater robot with an additional load of explosives. Thanks to its ability to move under water at a depth of up to 600 meters and easy control from a laptop, it was launched from a civilian vessel in the Black Sea, it has a flight duration of about 70 hours at a speed of up to 5 knots. With increased cargo capacity, it has a range of 286 nautical miles, almost 500 km. —Source resident_ua

Last edited5:33 AM · Jul 17, 2023

Russian spokeswoman for MoFA, Maria Zakharova, says US/UK intelligence involved—very safe bet.

Brian Berletic

@BrianJBerletic

NEW VIDEO: Ukraine's Recent Attack on the Crimean Bridge & Why it Doesn't Matter

Ukraine has struck the Crimean Bridge again, killing several civilians and damaging the bridge;

5:46 AM · Jul 17, 2023

• While waiting for a full assessment on damage, it appears support columns are intact, 1 road section is damaged, rail traffic is able to run;

• Before the bridge was constructed [2018] and before the SMO established a land bridge, ferries and shipping supplied the Russian peninsula;

• Crimea can/will survive without the bridge in even the WORST case scenario;

• Russia will respond with strategic patience, as it always does, because that is how conflicts are won;

• The Art of War [Sun Tzu] says: "it is the unemotional, reserved, detached warrior who wins, not the hothead seeking vengeance and not the ambitious seeker of fortune."

• Russia demonstrates patience after provocations giving it the advantage during the conflict...

ayden

@squatsons

Shots from the Kerch bridge. Much less damage then I expected, definitely appears to be waterborne drone attack. (more photos: https://twitter.com/squatsons/status/1680807114745470976/photo/1)

12:10 AM · Jul 17, 2023

It’s unclear what the War Party believes they’re accomplishing with this—beyond p*ssing off Russia. It certainly won’t significantly affect Russia’s SMO effort. I’m guessing that Russia will retaliate in a carefully measured way. Perhaps including downing of NATO drones.

In possibly related news, first re the “grain deal”:

Dagny Taggart

@DagnyTaggart963

Peskov: the agreements on the "grain deal" are actually terminated, it has been stopped.

Russia will immediately return to the "grain deal" as soon as the agreements concerning it are fulfilled, he added.

4:23 AM · Jul 17, 2023

-- GEROMAN -- time will tell -  --

@GeromanAT

Ukrainian grain went mostly to rich countries in Europe you freak

Quote Tweet

WarFrontline

@WarFrontline

#Breaking, Russia is not extending the grain deal, for now, according to Reuters.

Bad news for poor countries in Africa and the Middle East.

Also bad news for Putin's relationship with Erdogan.

4:14 AM · Jul 17, 2023

In fact Putin retains enormous leverage over Erdogan.

This information is being attributed to a source close to Zelensky:

-- GEROMAN -- time will tell -  --

@GeromanAT

"Our source in the OP said that the Office of the President received a draft from the Biden Administration on the future funding of Ukraine. Military assistance will be reduced by 7 times, and financial assistance by 5, but the Americans assured us that the EU will continue to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the same volumes. Meetings are already being held at Bankovaya to discuss how to reduce budget spending and find funds to continue the war in 2024."

4:23 AM · Jul 17, 2023