(KYIV) – Ukrainian forces have destroyed two Pantsir-S1 short range surface-to-air missile systems mounted on towers near the Kerch Bridge, along with four S-400 radar systems, according to Ukrainian military reports. The strikes have left the strategic bridge connecting occupied Crimea to the Russian mainland increasingly vulnerable to further attacks.
The Pantsir systems, which were positioned on elevated towers to provide dedicated point defence for the bridge, were hit in the same operation that saw Ukrainian drones strike the Kerch oil depot and two Russian ferries at Port Kavkaz. The targeting of these air defence assets represents a coordinated effort to degrade Russia’s ability to protect the Kerch Strait crossing.
The S-400 radar systems reported destroyed near the bridge would have provided early warning and targeting capability for longer range air defence. Their elimination, combined with the loss of the close-in Pantsir systems, significantly reduces the protective umbrella around the bridge.
The oil depot strike, which occurred within close proximity to the bridge, demonstrated Ukraine’s ability to penetrate Russian air defences in the area. Satellite imagery shared by open source analysts showed at least four of the seven oil tanks at the Kerch depot destroyed and burning, with the fire potentially spreading to the remaining tanks.
Analysts have noted that the bridge’s central span, which lacks supporting struts, would be particularly vulnerable to drone attack. A successful strike in this area could also block marine traffic through the Kerch Strait until debris could be cleared, presenting a significant logistical challenge for Russian forces given the ongoing threat of Ukrainian drones.
The campaign against Crimea has intensified in recent weeks, with Ukrainian forces striking the Chongar and Armyansk bridges to the north and destroying ferry vessels used for resupply. Fuel shortages have been reported across the peninsula, and social media footage showed a traffic jam of approximately 650 vehicles near the Kerch Bridge as civilians departed the region.
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