Traffic flow resumes on Crimean Bridge within an hour's time
The Crimean Bridge, a critical infrastructure linking Russia to Crimea, faced a temporary closure on July 17, 2025, following a series of drone attacks. The incident occurred at 1:39 AM Moscow time, as announced on the bridge's official Telegram channel, and traffic resumed at 2:35 AM.
The attacks were part of the strategic efforts by Ukraine to disrupt Russian logistics and supply lines during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War. These actions aim to weaken Russia's control over Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
The drone attacks resulted in a significant traffic jam, with over 1,100 vehicles waiting from both sides. Only passenger cars, minibuses, and buses were allowed to cross, while freight transport had to use alternative routes. The queue for the bridge exiting Crimea reached a three-hour wait.
In addition to the July 17 incident, there were previous temporary closures reported in July 2025, though specific reasons for these closures were not detailed. These closures were brief, lasting more than an hour in one instance and several hours in another.
Following each temporary closure, traffic on the Crimean Bridge was restored. By July 5, 2025, traffic had resumed after an earlier closure.
It's worth noting that on July 16, from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM Moscow time, 40 drone-type unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down over Russian regions, with 29 of them being downed over the Belgorod region, two over the Lipetsk region, and nine over the Bryansk region.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has been implicated in the previous explosion on the Crimean Bridge, which occurred on June 3, 2025. The attack targeted one of the underwater supports of the bridge, using explosives equivalent to 1,100 kilograms of TNT. The bridge was closed due to minor damage, but it was later reported that traffic resumed.
In order to ensure safety, the airport in Kaluga was temporarily closed to flights overnight on July 17.
The Crimean Bridge, a vital transportation artery, continues to be a target in the ongoing conflict, underscoring the need for constant vigilance and preparedness.
The drone attacks on the Crimean Bridge, a part of Ukraine's strategic efforts, aimed to disrupt Russian logistics and supply lines, and weaken Russia's control over Crimea, as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues. These actions were followed by temporary closures of the bridge, with the incident on July 17 causing a significant traffic jam and a three-hour wait to exit Crimea.
