The Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, is increasingly under pressure, targeted by Ukrainian drones and missiles. These attacks target in particular the immense bridge built in 2018.
The Kerch Bridge in Crimea has become a major issue in the war between Russia and Ukraine. To understand the importance of this bridge for Russia, you can go to Svetlana’s souvenir shop, on the seafront in Kerch, this is where the bridge arrives, on the Crimea side. At Svetlana, almost every second item represents the bridge: on scarves, mugs, magnets, t-shirts, the bridge is everywhere. “Of course it’s important. Everything goes through the bridgeshe explains. When it opened in 2018, do you know how many people were there? People from the north, from Siberia… They were so happy that the bridge was finished. There were very long queues when we took the ferry to come on vacation.”
It was Vladimir Putin himself, at the wheel of a truck, who inaugurated this immense 13 km bridge, the largest in Europe, five years ago. It has become the symbol of the annexation to Russia of this Ukrainian region conquered gently, but illegally. This road crossing changed the peninsula.
:quality(50)/2023/10/06/kertch-651f9508a68a5221222493.jpg)
But since the start of the war, it has become a target for the Ukrainian army: twice already, a truck bomb and then naval drones have damaged it. And this is not without consequences, explains Anatoli, who organized sea trips: “After the collapse of the bridge, during the first explosion, checks were reinforced. Buses undergo two to three hours of checks, people are searched. No one wants to queue to be searched and checked. Many circuits were abandoned. Tourist activity has suffered enormously.” Anatoli no longer has the right to sail under the bridge, his four employees are unemployed.
Maxime is a fisherman based in Kertch. But he cannot go out to sea as he would like: “Ukrainian missiles fly over the bridge and to ensure our safety, the army closes the Kerch Strait. At that moment, no one can pass through.”
“For fishermen it becomes complicated, because there are more and more missiles.”
Maxime, fisherman in Kerchat franceinfo
Traffic on the bridge is difficult, obviously. Checks can be very long for cars and buses. Trains passing on the railway section are also inspected at length. As for trucks, they are no longer allowed to use the bridge. The drivers therefore have to take the ferry, but as often they have to wait… Sometimes for a long time, like Boris and his colleagues, encountered in full sun in a parking lot that looks like a wasteland: “We’ve been waiting for three days, and maybe a week. There are no showers, no toilets… There are few boats, military vehicles pass in front of us. And We’re all stuck.”
“The bridge will collapse soon, we hope.”
In Kerch, everyone knows that the bridge will probably be targeted again. But many refuse to talk about it, like this man we met in the street: “It’s a criminal offense now to talk about that. If you don’t know it, I know it! You shouldn’t talk about that, I won’t say anything.” Lioudmila does not hide her pro-Ukrainian sympathies. An extremely rare attitude, given the risks involved. This retiree admits to us that she dreams of seeing this bridge destroyed: “I don’t want this bridge, it’s Russia that needs it because Crimea is a military base. This bridge is not made for people, it’s just a military thing. But the fact is that it will collapse soon, we hope, we expect it. And those who should flee by the bridge will leave by the land corridor.
This land corridor mentioned by Lioudmila is the route from the north, through the occupied territories: a much longer and much more dangerous route.
>> Follow the latest information on the war in Ukraine in our live stream
To destroy this bridge, it takes more than a missile. Very large quantities of explosive are required to successfully damage this enormous mass of concrete and steel. But clearly, the Crimean bridge, which was the symbol of the Kremlin’s power, of its ability to impose its views by force, has today become its weak point. “The Crimean Bridge has become a legitimate military target, confirms the Russian political scientist in exile, Dimitri Oreshkin. And all this propaganda about the Crimean bridge will backfire on Putin, because it will collapse.”
“Putin turned Crimea into an exhibit and now it turns out that this wonderful toy does not work.”
Dimitri Orechkine, political scientistat franceinfo
Currently the bridge is regularly closed at night for reconstruction work. Until the next attack…