Ukraine's SBU, Navy behind nighttime attack on Crimea bridge - sources

A nighttime attack on the Kerch Strait Bridge was a special operation conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Ukrainian Navy.

According to Ukrinform's sources in the SBU, the SBU and the Ukrainian Navy are behind a nighttime explosion at the bridge. Unmanned surface vessels were used to attack the bridge.

"It was hard to get to the bridge, but this was eventually done," the SBU said. It also recalled a statement by SBU Chief Vasyl Maliuk that the bridge is a legitimate target for Ukraine.

Nataliia Humeniuk, spokesperson for Ukraine's southern security and defense forces, said on national television that the damage to the bridge could be a Russian provocation before the extension of the grain agreement, which expires on July 17, according to Ukraine's public broadcaster Suspilne.

"With such a concentration of naval groups in this area and general tension against the background of the question of the extension of the 'grain deal,' the creation of similar provocations, which the occupation authorities in Crimea immediately report very loudly, is a typical way of resolving such issues on the part of the occupation authorities in Crimea and the aggressor country in general," Humeniuk said.

According to preliminary reports, a span of the Kerch Strait Bridge collapsed at around 04:00 on Monday, July 17. Before that, there was an explosion. At least two people are reported to have been killed and one injured. Huge queues formed in front of the bridge. Train traffic was halted.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate recalled a statement by its chief, Kyrylo Budanov, who said that the Kerch Strait Bridge is an unnecessary structure.

The grain agreement expires on July 17. Russia has declared that it does not intend to extend the deal and demands that part of the sanctions be lifted.