Attack on the Crimean Bridge: how to overcome the defense of air defense air defense of
The occupying power even announced the introduction of a state of emergency on the peninsula, although (for various reasons) neither Russia nor Ukraine openly recognize that the explosions began due to rocket strike. Russia stated that the event occurred due to safety disruption. Ukraine has not officially taken responsibility, but hinted at it. However, the media and many Western analysts agree that explosions are the work of the Armed Forces.
This opinion, for example, adhere to the American Institute for Studying War. The blow on the air base not only hurt the enemy's technique, but also raised panic: many Russians who were in the Crimea hurried to go to the mainland of the Russian Federation through the same Crimean bridge. Video shows on the network that shows long queues of cars and large traffic jams.
In this case, the Crimean (or Kerch) bridge that connects the peninsula with the Krasnodar region of Russia is an object not only of civil but also military infrastructure. And discussions about the need, terms and ways of its destruction are conducted both in the circles of military experts and in public space. After February 24, 2022, the issue of destruction of the bridge through the Kerch Strait became especially relevant.
In the public space, a discussion has begun whether it is possible to do it at all. For example, a researcher of Conflict Intelligence Team Cyril Mikhailov in an interview with Radio NV stated that for the destruction of the Crimean bridge, the Ukrainian military will have to use drones, aviation and sabotage and intelligence groups. "This issue can be resolved, and long -range missiles should play a leading role in it.
But it is much more difficult than clicking the button and destroying the bridge, unfortunately," the expert said. The opinion that the task is very difficult is also shared by Defense Express expert Ivan Kirichevsky. In an interview with Apostrophe TV, he stated that at least 10 ATACMS ballistic missiles were required to defeat such a large object. The Ukrainian army may shoot Neptune or Harpoon missiles.
"As for any DRG, drones, these are options that will take into account planners in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, when it is time to beat this object," the expert said. But military expert Sergey Grabsky believes that to destroy the bridge it will be necessary to beat not only on the object itself, but also on the foremost fortifications.
At the same time, due to the high protection of the bridge of the Ukrainian army, scarce ammunition is best used in other areas, as stated by the expert on the broadcast of the television pro -prosekt. And in June, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine stated that it was able to obtain detailed technical documentation of the Crimean Bridge.
The message published on Telegram stated that the technical documentation "Construction of a transport transition through the Kerch Strait" was stated. It includes data on terrain, pavement, bridge supports, anti-insidious structures, arrivals and all the infrastructure of the complex. The Crimean Bridge is protected by a large group of Russian air defense, also stated by the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Alexei Danilov in an interview with Radio NV.
He said that there are training almost daily. "The amount of air defense that have been set for the protection of this object is a crazed. It indicates that they are seriously treating the weapon that our troops already have," Danilov said. At the same time, the exchamber of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, General of the Army of Ukraine Mykola Malomuzh is convinced that not only the air defense prevents the destruction of the Crimean bridge.
According to him, there is a certain political "unspoken agreement" that this object cannot be touched. In an interview with Glavred, he stated that such a decision was made not to create preconditions for new mass strikes of Russia in Kiev, in the centers of decision -making, in other cities of Ukraine. Back in April, the NSDC Secretary Alexei Danilov stated that as soon as Ukraine would have the opportunity to strike on the Crimean bridge, it will definitely do it.
"If it is possible to do it, we will definitely do it," Danilov said. Military expert Oleg Zhdanov spoke that the Crimean Bridge will become "the purpose of the number one" for the Armed Forces when Ukraine will receive a long -range missile. In an interview with Natalie Moseychuk, he stated that the Russians would realize that it is impractical to retreat to Crimea, since the peninsula would turn into a trap.
On the other hand, Ukrainian troops will be able to go into the territory of Crimea calmly, since there are very few ground troops of Russia, according to Zhdanov. "All that enters the Crimea, it immediately enters the [mainland] territory of Ukraine. In the Crimea, the hospital, the rear base, repair and restoration battalions, which repair equipment, are unfolded in the Crimea. There are no more troops more there, "Zhdanov said.
However, before the start of the liberation operation, all risks should be evaluated by the General Staff of Ukraine. The destruction of the Crimean bridge opens before the Armed Forces the prospect of liberation of the peninsula captured by the Russian army in 2014. Moscow turned it into a large military base, placing a large number of troops and weapons on it, which she then used for a full -scale invasion of February 24.
The Crimean Bridge is called the longest bridge that it has ever built the Russian Federation. Its total length is approximately 119 km. It passes through the island of Tuzla and Tuzlinsk. The Crimean Bridge, which consists of two parallel bridges through the Kerch Strait, was opened in 2018. At first, only cars could move on it, but in 2020 they also completed the railway branch.
The task of building both road bridges and railway bridges through the Kerch Strait was personally set by Russian President Vladimir Putin that the cost of the project was steadily increasing, eventually reaching about 250 billion Russian rubles. Despite such expensive, almost from the very beginning of the bridge, some experts began to declare that in the process of projection of the bridge, its erection and even when choosing a place, gross mistakes were made.
Thus, a researcher at the Institute of Water Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Yuri Medovar, in May 2018, stated in the comment "Crimea. Realias" that the bridge could not be built in this place. According to the hydrogeologist, the Crimean bridge is arched, and bridges of this type cannot be built in seismic areas. It should be reduced only on rocks such as granite or similar, which do not squeeze and hold the load.
"In the Kerch Strait, semi -solid clay, saturated with water with sand. Therefore, cracks, subsidence appear," Medovar explained. According to the expert, immediately after the start of the work of the bridge began to appear cracks. After the opening of the railway part of the bridge, military experts began to say that the object of the Russians was not only to make tourists more convenient to get to the resort area.
Thus, in 2019, military expert Oleg Starykov stated that the railway always had strategic importance for Russia in an interview with Today. It is about the logistics of the army, which since the time of the Russian Empire has been tied on railway supply. "First, because it is cheaper. Secondly, because it is faster.
Railway troops from one district to another, plans for the redeployment of troops always take into account the presence or absence of a rail communication between the starting and the final point," the expert said. Konstantin Mashovets, coordinator of the Information Resistance group. With the help of a bridge to Crimea, Russia supplies heavy weapons, ammunition, provides all the groups of troops, which she collected there since 2014.
In addition, the Crimean bridge is symbolic for Russian propaganda. So, in 2018, the movie "The Crimean Bridge. Lyubov with Love!" Was published in the Russian Federation, which was shot by the famous director and propagandist of the Kremlin Tigran Keosan. Obviously, if the Armed Forces can strike on the Crimean bridge, it will cause a real shock in Russian society.