Russian-Backed Authorities Report Strike on Chonhar Bridge Leading to Crimea

Ukrainian Defense Forces struck the road deck of the automobile bridge over Lake Syvash in the Chonhar area.

Occupation authorities have restricted traffic on the bridge. According to preliminary estimates, repairs may take up to one month.

Volodymyr Saldo, Russian-installed “head” of the occupied area, reported the damage to the bridge connecting the temporarily occupied part of the Kherson region with Crimea.

“As a result of a night UAV attack, the bridge deck was damaged in the area of the Chonhar settlement. For security reasons, traffic through the Dzhankoi checkpoint has been temporarily blocked. Vehicles are passing through the Armyansk and Perekop checkpoints,” he said.

It is currently unclear what exactly caused the damage and how severe it is. According to Russian military propaganda, the bridge may have sustained significant damage, with restoration potentially taking up to a month.

The Russian-built R-280 highway runs across the bridge, connecting Rostov-on-Don with Crimea via occupied areas of the Donetsk region, including Mariupol, and serves as one of the main logistical routes to Crimea.

In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have intensified drone strikes on logistics trucks and fuel tankers along routes leading from Russia to occupied Crimea.

The increased pressure has forced occupation authorities to limit truck movement through occupied parts of the Kherson region toward Crimea.

Ports, cargo vessels, oil depots, and railway infrastructure in occupied territories have also been targeted, contributing to fuel shortages.

In Sevastopol, restrictions have been imposed on civilian fuel sales, limiting drivers to 20 liters per vehicle per week.

Damage to the bridge further extends logistics routes to Crimea, likely increasing transport costs and exposure of Russian supply convoys to Ukrainian UAV attacks.

This is not the first reported attack on the Chonhar bridge. In January 2026, occupation authorities also reported a drone strike on the structure.

According to the invaders, at the time, two drones were allegedly flying over the waters of the Sea of Azov and Lake Syvash, but as a result of Russian electronic warfare measures, one of the drones crashed and exploded on the roadway of a road bridge.