Ukraine hits two key bridges into Russian-occupied Crimea after Zelensky claims Moscow targeted blood transfusion centre

6 August 2023, 20:04 | Updated: 6 August 2023, 20:24

Ukraine has hit two key bridges into Russian-occupied Crimea as part of the latest counter-offensive, in yet another blow to Putin.

The attacks, which have been confirmed by both Ukraine’s armed forces and Russian-appointed officials, are said to have affected two specific road bridges – the Chonhar bridge connecting Ukraine and the north of Crimea, as well as a smaller bridge linking the town of Henichesk with the peninsula’s northeast coast.

“The enemy launched a missile strike in the area of the Chonhar bridge in the north of Crimea,” wrote Sergei Aksyonov, the Moscow-appointed head of Crimea, on Telegram, adding: “one hit, part of the missile was hit by air defence.”

He also noted that the road surface had been damaged in the explosion, with traffic diverted as a result and repairs currently underway.

Russian officials have claimed the bridges were in fact closed for repairs when the missile attacks took place.

A gas pipeline from the Strelkovskoye field to Genichesk, which ran alongside the bridge, is also said to have been interrupted following the missile attacks.

Volodymyr Saldo, the Russian-installed governor of Kherson, took to Telegram to report the damage.

He added that “Nato’s Storm Shadow missiles” were responsible for the strikes which hit both bridges.

It comes as Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, claimed a Russian “guided bomb” had hit a blood transfusion centre in the Kharkiv region, located in north-eastern Ukraine, on Saturday.

Zelenskyy added the latest attack by Russia had killed two people, injuring a further four.

“This war crime alone says everything about Russian aggression,” the Ukrainian president said, posting images purported to be of the blood transfusion centre to Telegram.

Mr Zelenskyy described the perpetrators as “beasts”, adding that “defeating terrorists is a matter of honour for everyone who values life.”

Russia is yet to comment on the allegations, having previously denied the targeting of civilians.

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The attacks follow further claims by Ukraine that it struck one of Russia’s biggest oil tankers with a sea drone.

Attacks on Russian infrastructure by Ukraine have escalated in recent days, with Russia in-term stepping up attacks on Ukraine.

Sunday saw Russia’s air defences destroy yet another drone as it approached Moscow, according to the city’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin.

It follows last week’s drone attack by Ukraine which saw an office block located in a Moscow skyscraper hit two days in a row by drones.