In 2024, as part of a broader campaign against Russian military facilities in Crimea, Ukraine launched an attack on the Crimean Bridge using U.S.-supplied long-range ATACMS missiles, The New York Times reported.

The operation was part of a U.S. approach following Ukraine’s request for support in restoring its 1991 borders.

The White House proposed a compromise—Operation Lunar Hail—which focused on striking key Russian military assets in Crimea to force Moscow to withdraw critical equipment from the region.

Among hundreds of potential targets, Ukraine prioritized the Crimean Bridge—a key logistical route and a symbol of Russia’s annexation. According to The New York Times, President Volodymyr Zelensky was “obsessed” with destroying it.

Initially, Ukraine sought to expand the operation to include strikes on Russian aircraft carrying glide bombs and other targets deep inside Russian territory. However, U.S. military officials insisted that ATACMS missiles be used exclusively for Lunar Hail.

American and British officers reportedly controlled almost every aspect of each strike, from target selection to coordinate calculations and flight path assessments.

Previously, attacking the bridge had been considered a “red line” for Washington. In 2022, the Biden administration prohibited U.S. assistance in targeting it, even classifying approaches to the bridge from the Crimean side as Russian sovereign territory.

However, in November 2024, then-U.S. President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia with long-range American missiles.

For Lunar Hail, the White House allowed U.S. military and intelligence agencies, with British support, to discreetly assist in planning the attack.

The original plan called for ATACMS missiles to weaken the bridge’s structure before Ukrainian naval drones detonated near its supports.

However, due to increased Russian defenses in the Black Sea, Ukraine revised its approach, opting to use ATACMS exclusively.

American generals were skeptical of the plan and urged Kyiv to wait for a coordinated strike.

Despite these concerns, Ukraine proceeded with the attack in mid-August 2024. According to the report, the strike left “several potholes” on the bridge, which were quickly repaired.

Despite the limited impact on the bridge, Lunar Hail was largely deemed a success. Due to Ukraine’s efforts, the campaign forced Russia to relocate or destroy key military assets, including warships, aircraft, air defense systems, command posts, and weapons depots, significantly weakening Russian forces in Crimea.