Ukraine hits Arabat Spit crossing after twice halting Chonhar, closing two roads to Crimea
Ukraine hit the Henichesk to Arabat Spit bridge days after twice halting Chonhar, cutting two road routes into occupied southern Kherson and squeezing supply lines for Russia's southern grouping.
Ukraine hit the Henichesk to Arabat Spit bridge days after twice halting Chonhar, cutting two road routes into occupied southern Kherson and squeezing supply lines for Russia's southern grouping.
Ukraine struck the bridge linking Henichesk to the Arabat Spit early on June 10, Vladimir Saldo, Russia's installed head of occupied Kherson Oblast, said on Telegram in a post carried by Euromaidan Press. Traffic over the crossing stopped while crews assessed the damage. The Chonhar bridge, the main road between occupied Kherson Oblast and Crimea, was already shut: drones holed its deck on June 7 and hit it again on June 9, ISW assessed, citing Ukrainian commanders and Saldo's own closure notices.
Two of the south's road links now sit closed at once, leaving the western crossings at Armyansk and Perekop, where Saldo directed drivers. The June 7 Chonhar strike paired FP-2 drones with the Behemoth, a 300-kilometer-range loitering munition in its first known combat use, Militarnyi noted. Pro-war Russian Telegram channels cited by the outlet put repairs at up to a month.
Ukrainian commanders say the timing was the point. Russia's 37th Motor Rifle Brigade expected two fuel trucks across Chonhar on the day of the operation, and the vehicles never arrived, 1st Separate Assault Regiment commander Dmytro Filatov told Army TV, in remarks Euromaidan Press translated. Filatov credited a cyber-intelligence network inside Russian military systems for the targeting, a claim no independent outlet has confirmed.
The bridge hits cap a wider interdiction squeeze. Military cargo on the R-280 highway from Rostov to Crimea fell 71 percent in two weeks, from roughly 3,800 trucks a day to 1,100, Unmanned Systems Forces commander Robert Brovdi claimed, and Russia's Eastern Grouping of Forces has banned military cargo on that road and Crimea's Tavrida highway since June 7, per ISW. The pressure stacks on top of the refinery campaign that already has Crimea rationing gasoline at 20 liters per voucher, the BBC reported.
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Subscribe Free →Kyiv's Hr 5 billion ($111 million) Logistics Lockdown program, launched by Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov on May 27, bought this capability: mid-range drones cheap enough to re-close a bridge each time repair crews finish. The Conflict Intelligence Team, an independent Russian research group, now does not rule out the land corridor to Crimea becoming unusable by mid-summer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which crossings into occupied southern Ukraine has Ukraine struck?
The Chonhar road bridge was struck on June 7 and June 9, halting traffic both times, according to ISW and Russian-installed official Vladimir Saldo. On June 10, Saldo said Ukraine also struck the bridge linking Henichesk to the Arabat Spit, in a post carried by Euromaidan Press.
What weapons were used against the Chonhar bridge?
Militarnyi and United24 Media reported the June 7 strike used FP-2 drones together with the Behemoth, a loitering munition with a range of up to 300 kilometers, in what was described as the new system's first known combat use.
What is the claim about Russia's 37th Motor Rifle Brigade?
Commander Dmytro Filatov of Ukraine's 1st Separate Assault Regiment told Army TV that the brigade expected two fuel trucks via Chonhar on the day of the strike and that the vehicles never arrived, remarks Euromaidan Press translated. The claim comes from Ukrainian military sources and has not been independently verified.
How are the strikes affecting Crimea?
The BBC reported that gasoline in Crimea is rationed at 20 liters per customer via vouchers, with hours-long queues. Al Jazeera reported that authorities also cut nighttime train schedules after a drone strike on a passenger train killed an assistant driver.
What routes remain open to Crimea?
Saldo directed drivers to the western crossings at Armyansk and Perekop. The Conflict Intelligence Team, cited by EUobserver, does not rule out the land corridor to Crimea becoming unusable by mid-summer if strikes continue.
AI-generated summary, reviewed by an editor. More on our AI guidelines.
Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.