Ukrainian cruise missile attack forces ten-mile bridge that links Russia to Crimea

A Ukrainian cruise missile attack has forced the £3 billion ten-mile bridge linking Russia to Crimea to temporarily close. 

Russian air defences have claimed they shot down a missile in the vicinity of the crossing, which was built on Putin's orders after he annexed the Crimea after an invasion in 2014. 

One report said this was an interception by the 31st Air Defence Division north of Taman on the Russia side of the bridge. 

It was evidently downed on the Kerch - or Crimean - side of the mammoth bridge.

'There was no damage or casualties, the wreckage fell into the waters of the Sea of Azov,' reported Telegram channel Rybar.

Russian air defences have claimed they shot down a missile in the vicinity of the crossing, which was built on Putin's orders after he annexed the Crimea after an invasion in 2014

One report said this was an interception by the 31st Air Defence Division north of Taman on the Russia side of the bridge

Queues formed as traffic was halted in both directions on the bridge as a result of the attack

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The channel suggested Ukraine had used a 'modernised missile from a S-200 complex, which was redesigned for strikes along a ballistic trajectory. 

'This range is about 400 km [250 miles].'

The crossing is Putin's main link to the Crimean peninsula.

Russian war channels today speculated that Ukraine will make new efforts to destroy the bridge, seen as a Putin vanity project to connect Russia to the invaded peninsula which, under international law, belongs to Ukraine.

Queues formed as traffic was halted in both directions on the bridge as a result of the attack. 

It comes as Putin seeks to encourage Russian tourists to visit the traditional summer playground Crimea.

The head of the Russian puppet government in Crimea Sergey Aksyonov said: 'In the Kerch area, air defence forces shot down a cruise missile. No damage or casualties.

'I ask everyone to remain calm and rely only on trusted sources of information.'

It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's forces have made 'steady gains' in the besieged Bakhmut.

A UK Ministry of Defence intelligence update on Saturday morning said that following a 'lull during June 2023', Bakhmut over the last week has 'again been the site of some of the most intense fighting along the front'.

The statement added: 'Ukrainian forces have made steady gains to both the north and south of the Russian-held town. Russian defenders are highly likely struggling with poor morale, a mix of disparate units and a limited ability to find and strike Ukrainian artillery.

'The Russian leadership almost certainly see it as politically unacceptable to concede Bakhmut, which has a symbolic weight as one of the few Russian gains in the last 12 months. However, there are highly likely few additional reserves to commit to the sector.'