Ukraine hits Putin's Crimean umbilical cord again

The Ukrainian army continues to attack an important road link to the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia. The Chonhar bridge has been damaged by drone attacks for the second night in a row, the head of the Russian occupation administration in the Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo, announced on Telegram.

The bridge is closed to traffic. Saldo advised drivers to take the longer road via Perekop.

The attacks on the bridge are part of an operation launched by the Ukrainians in May to seal off Crimea, which is militarily important for Russia. The Russian army uses the peninsula for air strikes on Ukrainian territory and to supply its units in southern Ukraine. However, Crimea can only be reached via three roads - the routes via Perekop and Chonhar in the north and via the newly built Kerch Bridge in the east.

Crimea cut off from fuel supplies

However, the Kerch Bridge is too unsafe to transport fuel by rail or truck. Ukraine has shut down several ferries that were traveling from Russia to Crimea. Moscow has built a new road along the Sea of Azov to supply Crimea.

Route to Crimea affected

Ukraine hits important bridge and worsens the situation for Putin's troops

But even there, Ukrainian medium-range drones detect and destroy military and fuel trucks. Fuel has already had to be rationed on the peninsula, which was annexed in 2014 and is also an important vacation destination for Russia.

A Russian attack with missiles and drones hit the Ukrainian city of Chuhujiv in the eastern Kharkiv region during the night, killing at least three people, according to local authorities. Three people were also injured. By the morning, the Ukrainian air force had located 168 Russian drones and missiles, 148 of which had been repelled. Ukraine has been defending itself against a large-scale Russian invasion for more than four years.