Ukraine Preparing Third Strike on Crimean Bridge

Commander of the Ukrainian Navy, Oleksiy Neizhpapa, stated that Ukraine is preparing to strike the Crimean Bridge again – a nearly 19-kilometer structure connecting Russia to its annexed Crimea.

“The Russians understand we are actively discussing a third operation. There is a saying: ‘God loves a trinity,’” Neizhpapa told The Guardian.

The Crimean Bridge consists of two crossings – road and rail – connecting Crimea to Russia. Ukraine has repeatedly called it illegal and considers it a legitimate military target.

The illegally built Crimean Bridge, which Russia uses to transport armored vehicles and troops to southern Ukraine, has already been attacked twice.

The Navy commander expressed confidence that Ukraine could destroy the bridge, emphasizing that previous strikes had damaged both the road and rail sections. As a result, Russian forces can no longer transport heavy railcars across it.

Neizhpapa described the war with Russia as a technological race dominated by drones. He noted that Moscow had developed effective countermeasures against naval drone raids, but Ukraine responded by turning them into high-speed strike platforms. According to him, engineers have equipped the drones with anti-aircraft guns to shoot down helicopters and added FPV drones.

Ukraine’s naval drone first-ever strike of manned aircraft

In December 2024 Kyiv Post reported that Ukrainian special operators scored the first-ever-in-history kill of a manned aircraft by a long-range robot boat off Crimea’s western coast in the early morning hours.

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Nighttime video from an onboard camera showed a Ukrainian Magura V5 naval drone moving through choppy seas at high speed and under fire from at least two circling Russian Mi-8 helicopters.

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) published the combat images and said the engagement took place near Cape Tarkhankut, the extreme western tip of Russian-occupied Crimea. At least one other boat is also visible, dodging Russian machine gun fire between splashes.

The HUR statement said the drones launched multiple R-73 SeeDragon missiles – a Soviet-era air-to-air missile modified by Ukraine for maritime use – and downed one Mi-8 helicopter before damaging a second, forcing it to flee.

The video shows two missile launches with one clear hit, and probable fire by a drone-mounted machine gun at the Russian choppers with unclear results.

What is MAGURA V5?

Developed in Ukraine, the MAGURA V5 unmanned surface vessel is capable of performing a variety of seaborne operations, including surveillance, reconnaissance, patrolling and combat missions.

Thanks to its hydrodynamic hull and maneuverability, the V5 exhibits quasi-stealth capabilities.

It is 5.5 meters long, 1.5 meters wide, has a cruising speed of 40.7 kilometers per hour, a maximum speed of 77.8 kilometers per hour, with a range of about 833 kilometers.