Ukraine bombs Crimea’s Kerch Bridge used by Russia for troop transport—third strike since 2022

Ukraine on Tuesday (June 3) claimed responsibility for a powerful underwater explosion that targeted the Kerch Bridge, a critical link between the Russian mainland and occupied Crimea. The operation marks the third time Ukrainian forces have struck the strategic structure since the war began in February 2022.

The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) said the overnight attack was a "unique special operation" involving the detonation of 1,100 kilograms (2,400 pounds) of explosives on the seabed near the bridge's foundation. The blast reportedly damaged one of the bridge’s support pillars.

No civilian casualties, But damage claimed

According to the SBU, no civilians were killed or injured in the attack. The agency also released video footage of the explosion, showing debris erupting from the water beneath the bridge, along with images of what it said were structural damages.

The claims could not be independently verified.

Strategic target

The 19-kilometre (12-mile) Kerch Bridge is a vital military and logistical route used by Russia to transport troops and supplies to southern Ukraine. Ukrainian officials have long maintained that the bridge is a legitimate military target.

Bridge temporarily closed

Following the explosion, traffic across the Kerch bridge was suspended for about three hours early Tuesday before reopening at 9 a.m., according to Russian officials. A second closure was reported at 3:20 p.m. local time, though Russian authorities did not provide further details.

The Kremlin has not yet officially commented on the extent of the damage or responded to the Ukrainian claims.

The attack comes as Ukraine continues its campaign to disrupt Russian supply lines and infrastructure in occupied territories, even as peace talks between the two sides remain stalled.

The attack followed a day after direct peace talks in Istanbul failed to yield progress toward ending the three-year war. It also came on the heels of a Russian rocket strike on the northeastern city of Sumy on Tuesday, which killed at least three people and injured 25, according to Ukrainian officials.

Just two days earlier, Ukraine had launched a major drone assault on Russian air bases, reportedly destroying 40 military aircraft.

Russian attack on Sumy kills at least 3

A Russian rocket barrage struck the Ukrainian city of Sumy on Tuesday, killing at least three people and injuring many more, officials confirmed. The attack targeted apartment buildings and a medical facility in the city center, just one day after peace talks in Istanbul showed little progress in ending the three-year war.

Zelenskyy condemns ‘deliberate strike on civilians’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sharply condemned the attack, describing it as a "completely deliberate strike on civilians." He revealed that “one of the rockets pierced the wall of an apartment building but failed to detonate.”

“The Russians brutally struck Sumy — directly targeting the city, ordinary streets — with rocket artillery,” Zelenskyy wrote in a Telegram post. He stressed, “That's all you need to know about Russia’s desire to end this war.”

The president appealed for international pressure on Moscow, calling for “decisive action from the United States, Europe, and everyone in the world who holds power.” He warned that without such pressure, Russian President Vladimir Putin "will not agree even to a ceasefire.”

Russian claim of village capture

Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed Tuesday that its forces captured the Ukrainian village of Andriivka near the Sumy border region. Ukraine has not immediately responded to this claim, which remains unverified.

Deadlocked peace talks in Istanbul

Delegations from Ukraine and Russia met in Istanbul on Monday, agreeing to swap dead and wounded soldiers. However, the terms for a broader peace agreement remain far apart.

Despite overtures from both Zelenskyy and Putin to US President Donald Trump, no breakthrough has emerged. Putin has insisted any settlement must meet Russian demands, while Ukraine has shown willingness to accept a US-proposed ceasefire.

Ukrainian drone attack hits Russian air bases

Amid the ongoing conflict, Ukraine launched a significant drone strike over the weekend, damaging or destroying more than 40 Russian warplanes at bases deep inside Russia, according to Ukrainian officials.

The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the strikes set several planes ablaze at two air bases but stated that attacks on three other bases were repelled.

Russian officials promise no let-up in offensive

Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and current deputy head of Russia's Security Council, vowed there would be no pause in Moscow’s invasion. “The Istanbul talks are not for striking a compromise peace on someone else's delusional terms but for ensuring our swift victory and the complete destruction of (Ukraine's government),” he said.

He warned of “inevitable retribution,” stating, “Everything that needs to be blown up will be blown up, and those who must be eliminated will be.”

Putin-Zelensky-Trump meeting ‘unlikely soon’

The Kremlin dismissed suggestions of a trilateral meeting between Putin, Zelenskyy, and Trump as “unlikely in the near future,” according to spokesman Dmitry Peskov.