As of mid-August 2023, Russian forces continued using pontoon bridges at the Chonhar and Henichesk crossing points between southern Ukraine and occupied Crimea.
Both permanent bridges sustained damage from precision strikes by Ukrainian forces in early August 2023.
“The pontoon bridges are unlikely to be able to fully sustain the flow of heavy vehicles carrying ammunition and weaponry to the front,” British intelligence said in its daily report.
The resulting bottlenecks have led to Russian forces partially depending on a longer diversion route via Armiansk in northern Crimea. This situation is causing additional strain on Russia’s logistics network in the southern region, UK intel concluded.
On 6 August, Ukraine’s Armed Forces used British long-range Storm Shadow missiles to hit the Chonhar Bridge that connects occupied Crimea and the occupied part of the Kherson Oblast in southern Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Armed Forces also shelled the bridge across the Tonky Strait, which connects the town of Henichesk in the occupied Kherson Oblast with the Arabat Split that leads to the northeastern shore of the occupied Crimean Peninsula.
On 29 July, the Ukrainian army confirmed a successful strike on the Chongar Bridge on 22 July.
Read also:
- Ukraine reports strike on Chonhar bridge, connecting Crimea with southern Ukraine
- Ukraine’s Security Service confirms it blew up Crimea Bridge in 2022
- Russia restricts milbloggers from reporting Ukrainian attack on crucial bridge – ISW
- Ukraine’s Armed Forces confirm strikes on two bridges in occupied Kherson Oblast
- Crimea bridge in smoke after double attack. Russia reports three missiles downed
