Ukrainian forces have reportedly targeted Kerch city in the occupied Crimea with drones in the early hours of Friday, Dec. 6, with explosions reported by residents, according to the Ukrainian Telegram channel Crimean Wind. The blasts were heard near the Zalyv shipyard, and a fire was seen in the Arshintsevo district.
Kerch is one of Crimea's largest cities and serves as a key industrial, transportation, and tourist hub. Like the rest of Crimea, it has been under Russian control since the annexation in 2014.
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Air defense systems were activated in the Kerch Strait during the recent attack involving unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and marine drones. The offensive began around 5 a.m. and traffic on the Crimean Bridge was halted from 5:17 a.m., according to Crimea.Realities.
The Crimean Bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, has strategic and political value as a symbol of Russia’s “possession” of occupied Crimea and tactical value as a logistical link from the mainland.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that its air defenses intercepted a Ukrainian drone over Crimea and naval forces destroyed two unmanned boats in the Black Sea.
The ministry also claimed that 33 drones were intercepted overnight across several regions, including 14 in Voronezh, 11 in Kursk, and seven in Belgorod. No injuries or damage were reported in these regions.
Despite these claims, pro-Russian Telegram channels warned that the threat of marine drone attacks near Kerch remains. As of 8:45 a.m. Moscow time, the Crimean Bridge was still closed to traffic.
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In order to strengthen security of the bridge, Moscow deployed export versions of the Pantsir (NATO: SA-22 Greyhound) self-propelled, medium-range combined surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft gun systems beside the bridge at the end of August.
In a bid to further bolster protection for the bridge it was noted that Russia has now erected 30–meter (100 feet) high metal scaffolding towers, at either end of Tuzla Island on which parts of the bridge stand and have mounted the Pantsirs on them. Satellite images later confirmed their locations.
A YouTube video posted by “Liudmilla” in August illustrates the positioning of the towers alongside the bridge during which she says the radars of the systems were “active”.
The bridge has already been struck by Ukraine twice since the start of the war with Russia. In October 2022 a bomb carried in a truck damaged several spans of roadway and the adjacent rail line. In July last year an early morning USV strike caused further damage to the road section.
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