Russia-appointed officials, on Thursday said that Ukraine struck a bridge connecting Ukraine's Kherson region and Crimea. According to officials, the missile strike damaged the Chonhar bridge and traffic needed to be diverted. Russia's Investigative Committee said four missiles had been fired at the bridge by Ukrainian forces, DW reported.
The two parallel Chonhar bridges were both damaged but no one was hurt, the Russian-installed governor in occupied Kherson Vladimir Saldo told BBC. He said it was likely British Storm Shadow missiles were used in an attack "ordered by London".
According to Russia's Investigative Committee, the Ukrainian forces had fired four missiles at the bridge. Crimea had been illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.
The bridge, which is the shortest route from Crimea to the front line in the south, is also an important link to the occupied city of Melitopol. Melitopol is viewed to be one of the targets of Ukraine's counter-offensive. Ukraine, so far, has recaptured eight villages, with the counter-offensive that began earlier in the month.
Britain, last month, became the first Western country to provide Ukraine with the long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Last week, Russia threatened to strike Kyiv’s “decision-making centres” if Western-supplied missiles were used against Crimea, the Guardian reported.
