Russia had strengthened the bridge's structures in advance, including the supports, to reduce the risk of its defeat. Despite this, the Ukrainian command used ATACMS missiles to strike the Crimean Bridge in the summer of 2024. The United States of America opposed this. This is reported by The New York Times (NYT) with reference to sources in the American administration, reports UNN.
Details
It is noted that in 2024, the United States offered Ukraine an operation to strike military and infrastructure facilities in the temporarily occupied Crimea. Allegedly, this would affect Russia, and at least force it to transfer its military resources from Crimea.
Ukraine chose 100 targets, including the Crimean Bridge. But Russia strengthened the bridge's supports to protect it from being hit. Therefore, the General Staff and the Office of the President of Ukraine decided to hit the bridge with ATACMS missiles. American officials and the military opposed this.
According to the NYT, the bridge was hit by a missile strike in August 2024, but the facility was not destroyed. Sources of the publication among American military officials said that the United States allegedly allowed this, saying, "Sometimes Ukrainians need to do something on their own to understand that we are right."
Recall
In August 2024, work was underway near the Kerch Bridge to build defensive structures and an additional bridge.
On August 16, 2024, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stated that an attack by 12 American ATACMS missiles on the Crimean Bridge was repelled at night. The occupiers announced the closure of the bridge, locals wrote about explosions in the Kerch area.