The 19-km (12-mile) Crimean Bridge (also known as Kerch Bridge) over the Kerch Strait is the only direct link between the transport networks of Russia and the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014. It passes over the Kerch Strait allowing high-speed mass transit between Russia and Ukraïne. Bombing and temporarily rendering the road-and-rail bridge inoperable has left Russia with no other modern man-made mass-transit highway and railway connecting it to Ukraine.
The finger-pointing was quick to begin as to who is responsible for the attack on the Kerch/Crimean access bridge. Russia has already pointed its Slavic finger at Ukraine, and Ukrainian war directors are
already doing the victory high-five in Ukraine.
The attack’s immediate aftermath
Much like the former Russian flagship Moskva, the Kerch bridge had been the pride of Russian President Vladimir Putin from its inception. Putin had personally driven a vehicle the length of the bridge as an inaugural gesture and christening of his $4.6 million masterpiece.
Now, Russian sailors are trapped at Sevastopol in Crimea where they operate the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The Crimean Bridge provided easy transportation for men and materiel to sustain the port city that houses Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
Remember now that what is in the Black Sea now stays in the Black Sea until further notice: Exit through the Bosporus, which links the Black Sea to the Dardanelles and from there to the Aegean, is not permitted by Turkey; that speaks clearly of Turkey’s position on the war of Russian aggression in Ukraine.
‘Battles are the principal milestones of secular history’
With the “who” did it — Ukraine — the “how” is understood to have been either a large missile strike, a heavy vehicle packed with explosives, or a special operation waterborne combat mission. An advantage of using special operations troops is that they can infiltrate assaulters by clandestine boats and blow explosives into the bridge.
Putin said that it “is obvious that the Ukrainian secret services ordered, organized, and carried out the terrorist attack” on the bridge. You should note that Putin’s office has already for several days now sent an unladen train as a test guinea pig to run over the area in hopes of favorably assessing the structural damage. So far the empty train has made many successful passes over the bridge with no ill effects.
The consequences of the attack on the Crimean Bridge
There were three casualties reported on the Kerch Strait attack. The strike itself may have more strategic and symbolic than tactical value. The Crimean Bridge was pride and joy to Putin, who had it constructed as a monument to Russian recoverability after the 2014 illegal annexation of Crimea.
Putin was celebrating his 70th birthday on the day of the attack. That was such a genius gift to Vlad-the-Bad. When he was asked what his favorite birthday present was he frowned and hissed: “The Rock-em, Sock-em Robots, Komrad Yevgeny.” Now Putin has to wait gingerly until his next birthday to see if he still has a bridge.
In closing
Here’s a question for the readers: How would you completely destroy a bridge, and why is the Kerch Strait Bridge not utterly ruined for commerce by either train or automobile? In fact, auto transit has been open to the public for a few days now in a controlled cycle pattern where one direction proceeds for a time, then is halted while the other direction gets drive time. Reportedly, there is only one lane open currently.
Considering that the bridge still stands, what message does the attack send to Putin? Is it that Ukraine has the power to destroy the most beloved features of Putin’s presence in the country? All this and on Vlad’s own birthday. Damage to the great bridge comes certainly with its tactical value, but treating it as a punch in the eye to Putin on his birthday may harbor a sour strategic flavor.
By Almighty God and with Honor,
geo sends
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My spin is that they don’t want it totally destroyed because it is just too valuable to waste. I do believe the attack was a black eye to Putin on his birthday telling him to the effect: “We can destroy the bridge anytime we want. We can partially destroy it at any location and at any time. Meanwhile, you can continue to repair the bridge for millions and millions of dollars each time.
geo sends
Hmm. George, #1. I suggest to place explosive charges of some kind that are capable of destroying the support structures at critical locations, detonate them, and then let gravity do the rest to successfully demolish a bridge. #2. Why is the bridge (any bridge) still standing? Well, that’s simple : because no external force (whether it be man made or Mother Nature) has (as of yet) critically damaged the support structures so that gravity wins.
Have a great day! -Andy T
You’re very wise to structural attack. It is the first fundamental of explosive demolition to allow as much of the structure to tear itself down with as little blow as possible. I was involved in explosively destroying a 25k SF structure and a railroad bridge over a river.
Neither event took place. Picture the scene in the movie where the Sheriff runs into the chair where death by execution is underway. The executioner has his hand on the “switch” as the Sheriff yells: “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”
Ha ha ha… I originally titled the pieced: The Bridge on the Kerch Straight” but it got scrubbed. I fo sho have no penchant for constructing my titles, but I’ve got strong editors who have my back.
You’re tracking though… I have no clue why they didn’t totally destroy it. But now sitting here thinking about it I should have spoken of my ‘paradox of war’ where you have to think of the usability of an enemy target before you destroy it; think hard on the ability of the target to serve your cause before you destroy it. It could serve one side or the other if left alone, otherwise, nobody has the service of the target.
Even further now, Putin built the trophy Crimean bridge for Russia to have convenient access to Crimea — the Ukrainians have no desire to use it, and the eventuality of Ukraine to use the bridge to turn around and invade Russia… well that dog just ain’t gonna hunt.
I’m anxious as hell to see this bridge mystery play out… who did it, how did they do it, why they did it.
Geo, I didn’t realize that the bridge was usable at all. Your question to readers “How would you completely destroy a bridge, and why is the Kerch Strait Bridge not utterly ruined for commerce by either train or automobile?” Man, I don’t know! Did they just not have enough explosives? Maybe if they had an engineering study of the bridge to know where critical joints and structures were, they could have. I don’t have any knowledge in this area except for watching The Bridge on the River Kwai when I was a child :), and that was a little one.