What is known about an attack with naval drones on the Crimean bridge. How Ukraine reacts to the attack. Russia quits the grain deal, calls back the guarantees of safe navigation in the Black Sea. Ukraine is ready to work with the UN, Turkey to continue the deal, Zelenskyi says.
What is known about attack on Crimean bridge
Since the early hours of July 17, traffic on the Crimean bridge, connecting Crimea to Russia’s mainland, has been stopped. Russian-installed Crimea governor Sergei Aksyonov reported an “emergency incident”. Reports of explosions and serious damage to at least one span of the bridge were posted to Russian social media. Later rail traffic resumed, while road traffic continues to be at a standstill.
At around 4 a.m. on July 17, Aksyonov said that the traffic on the Crimean bridge was halted after “an emergency occurred near the 145th pier from the side of the Krasnodar region.” The incident created long traffic jams to the entrance of the bridge.
Russian Telegram channel Baza reported at night that “thick smoke was rising over one of the piers of the bridge,” and that an explosion was audible.
Russia’s Transport Ministry said there was damage to the roadway on spans of the bridge, but denied the piers were affected. “The deck remains on piers,” the statement said. Photos that were later released show that at least one bridge span was seriously damaged.
The governor of Russia’s Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said a girl was injured and her parents were killed while traveling on the bridge in a car that was damaged in the incident.
Ukraine reacts to attack on Crimean bridge
The Crimean bridge was blown up by naval drones, Mykhailo Fedorov, Vice Prime Minister for Innovation, Development of Education, Science and Technology — Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine said.
Ukraine’s defense intelligence did not directly comment on the bridge attack, but recalled a quote by its chief, Major General Kyrylo Budanov that “the Crimean bridge is a redundant structure.”
As part of their sarcastic versed comments, the Security Service of Ukraine said: “The bridge has gone to sleep again.” Later the service added that the bridge “could no longer carry a military load,” adding that all details of the incident will be made public after the victory.
Spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force Command Colonel Yuriy Ihnat said one “could be nothing but happy about the situation” the occupying force is facing in Crimea. “No water, no tourists, no bridge. Even if stones rain down from the sky. This is good news for us,” Ihnat said.
Advisor to the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter: “Any illegal structures used to deliver Russian instruments of mass murder are necessarily short-lived.” He later alleged that the attack could have been carried out by the Russians.
Sources told The New Voice of Ukraine that the attack was a joint operation of Ukraine’s security service and naval forces.
Russia quits grain deal, calls back guarantees of safe navigation in Black Sea
Russia said it withdraws from the grain deal following an attack on the Crimean bridge overnight on July 17, Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday.
Russia complained that Ukraine had sabotaged the agreement. It said it will not extend the deal expiring on Monday.
The foreign ministry announced in a statement that Russia no longer guarantees the safety of shipping in the northwestern Black Sea and suspends a humanitarian corridor to deliver Ukrainian grains.
“That means an end to guarantees of safe navigation; the curtailment of the maritime humanitarian corridor; the restoration of the regime of a temporarily dangerous area in the northwestern Black Sea; and dissolution of the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul. Without Russia, the Black Sea grain deal halts on July 18,” the statement says.
Russia has been blocking inspections of ships since June 27, halting the grain deal.
Russia has repeatedly threatened to pull out from the deal, brokered by the UN and Turkiye in July last year. The agreement was extended several times — in November 2022, March 2023, and May 2023.
Shortly before the deal was to expire, Russia threatened not to extend it. On July 17, it used an attack on the Crimean bridge as a pretext to leave the deal.
On July 14, the UN said its Secretary General Antonio Guterres was waiting for a response from Russian President Vladimir Putin on a proposal to extend the deal.
Ukraine reacts after Russia quits grain deal
“We are not afraid,” President Zelenskyi said, adding that Ukraine is ready to continue the grain deal without Russia.
Ukraine will send signals to the UN and Turkiye, Zelenskyi told a group of African journalists, according to his press secretary Serhiy Nykyforov.
“We had two [separate] agreements: the first one signed by Ukraine, Turkiye, and the UN; the second one — by Russia, Turkiye, and the UN. So, when Russia says it halts the grain deal, it undermines the accords with UN Secretary General Guterres and Turkish President Erdogan, not with us. We had no agreements with them,” Zelenskyi said.
Zelenskyi asked the Foreign Ministry to ask the UN and Turkiye if they are ready to carry on with the deal.
“Even with no Russia involved, we must do everything to be able to continue to use the Black Sea corridor. We are not afraid. We were reached by companies that own ships. They said that they are ready, if Ukraine will let go, and Turkey will pass, then everyone is ready to continue supply of grain,” Zelenskyi said, as quoted by his press secretary.
What’s wrong with the African presidents’ peace mission. Ukraine in Flames #481
The recent African peace mission, led by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, aimed to resolve the war in Ukraine but fell short. This episode explores Ukraine’s emerging African policy and its aspirations to become a regional leader. These peace initiatives serve as political PR for African leaders, ensuring their position on Ukraine while reflecting the non-Western perspective of ending the conflict swiftly. Ukraine remains committed to reshaping pro-Russian Eurasia, liberating oppressed peoples, and addressing regional challenges in the post-Soviet region. Watch UIF #481 to learn more about the impact this visit had on the war and how it may or may not influence further diplomatic efforts.
Guests:
- Mykhailo Samus Director of the New Geopolitics Research Network, expert of the Centre for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Studies
- Ilya Kusa Expert on International Policy at the Ukrainian Institute for the Future
- Yuriy Oliynyk, PhD in Political Science, Head of Research Programmes at the Ukrainian Strategic Studies Centre
