>Ex-Nato commander says missile strike would deal a huge blow
>Ukraine could deal a devastating blow to the Kremlin by attacking the Kerch Strait bridge, which links mainland Russia with Crimea, using newly supplied Harpoon missiles, a former Nato commander has told The Times.
>General Philip Breedlove, who was supreme allied commander for Europe from 2013 to 2016, said an attack on the bridge was justified by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine from all quarters. “Kerch bridge is a legitimate target,” he said.
>Breedlove’s support for such an attack came as Russia launched airstrikes on the city of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine. Oleksandr Goncharenko, the mayor, said there had been casualties and advised all residents to stay in shelters. The city of Sloviansk, near Kramatorsk, also came under attack.
> Kramatorsk was attacked with rockets in April when the city’s railway station packed with people was targeted, killing 59 civilians and injuring more than 110 others.
>Evidence that Russian forces appear to be preparing for a possible attack on the Kerch bridge has emerged in recent days. They have put in place countermeasures alongside the bridge to deflect a missile strike.
>This includes barges packed with reflective radars to confuse missile guidance systems and smokescreen devices to try to conceal the bridge.
The Kerch Strait bridge, which stretches about 11 miles and carries road and rail traffic to the Russian-annexed peninsula, was constructed between 2016 and 2018 at a cost of $3.5 billion. Crimea was annexed by Russian troops in 2014.
>In addition to the countermeasures alongside the bridge, Russia has significantly increased its air defences in the western part of Crimea, partly to protect Kerch bridge from missile attack.
“It doesn’t surprise me at all that the Russians are concerned about Kerch bridge. It’s incredibly important to them,” Breedlove said.
>“Now that the West has given Ukraine [sub-sonic, sea-skimming cruise] Harpoon missiles [with a range of up 200 miles] I think the Russians have every reason to be worried about Ukraine launching an attack on the bridge.
>“There are many western leaders and ex-leaders like me who are having conversations now about what would happen if Russia begins to sink Ukrainian grain ships or if the Russian naval blockade goes kinetic.”
>Breedlove added: “There are discussions about how the West can respond if this happens. Several people I have spoken to say ‘dropping’ [destroying] Kerch bridge would be a huge blow to Russia. Kerch bridge is a legitimate target.
>“I am a trained civil engineer and I know about bridge construction. All bridges have their weak points and if targeted in the right spot it could render Kerch bridge unserviceable for a period of time. But if they wanted to drop the bridge that would require a more dedicated bombing operation.”
>Breedlove, whose military advice is still sought by the Biden administration, dismissed those who doubted the wisdom of backing aggressive action by Ukraine.
>“I hear a lot of people asking whether it is right for Ukraine to take such aggressive action and whether the West would support it but I cannot understand that argument,” he said.
>“Russia has invaded Ukraine and has launched attacks not just from inside Ukraine but also from Russia, Belarus, Crimea and the Black Sea, and have killed tens of thousands of people.
>“So we shouldn’t worry about Ukraine being bellicose in its approach to targets inside Russia. It would be like asking Roger Federer to play tennis with one hand tied behind his back and to constantly receive serve.”
>A Harpoon missile was first used by Ukraine last month when a Russian naval tugboat was struck while attempting to deliver weapons to the Moscow-controlled Snake Island in the Black Sea. The island has subsequently been recaptured by Ukraine after Russian troops withdrew.
we would love to, but they are so afraid for this bridge that there is more air defense than in their own country. yes, and it’s dumb because every time we do something cool, the Russians take revenge the next day and let a bunch of old rockets to fish as many people as possible
I’m not an English native speaker, but I think the word “urging” has a different, stronger, meaning.
What that one individual General is saying is the following:
* Hey Ukraine, you know, nobody can be mad at you if you actually do attack that bridge.
* Hey Russia, you better watch that bridge carefully (= better reinforce the troops guarding that bridge, instead of those that attack in Donbass)
If Ukraine does end up bombing the bridge, I just hope they make sure there’s no civilian traffic on it at that time.
I think that bombing the bridge would be more strategically significat before Russia occupied entire Azov Sea coastline of Ukraine.
Serves no purpose since Crimea isn’t landlocked. The Russian will just counter by bombing schools and other civilian targets.
Stick to defending the line and hope Russia runs out of stamina and give up is the current strategy, and that’s what they should stick to.
6 comments
>#Bomb Russia’s bridge to Crimea, Ukraine urged
>Ex-Nato commander says missile strike would deal a huge blow
>Ukraine could deal a devastating blow to the Kremlin by attacking the Kerch Strait bridge, which links mainland Russia with Crimea, using newly supplied Harpoon missiles, a former Nato commander has told The Times.
>General Philip Breedlove, who was supreme allied commander for Europe from 2013 to 2016, said an attack on the bridge was justified by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine from all quarters. “Kerch bridge is a legitimate target,” he said.
>Breedlove’s support for such an attack came as Russia launched airstrikes on the city of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine. Oleksandr Goncharenko, the mayor, said there had been casualties and advised all residents to stay in shelters. The city of Sloviansk, near Kramatorsk, also came under attack.
> Kramatorsk was attacked with rockets in April when the city’s railway station packed with people was targeted, killing 59 civilians and injuring more than 110 others.
>Evidence that Russian forces appear to be preparing for a possible attack on the Kerch bridge has emerged in recent days. They have put in place countermeasures alongside the bridge to deflect a missile strike.
>This includes barges packed with reflective radars to confuse missile guidance systems and smokescreen devices to try to conceal the bridge.
The Kerch Strait bridge, which stretches about 11 miles and carries road and rail traffic to the Russian-annexed peninsula, was constructed between 2016 and 2018 at a cost of $3.5 billion. Crimea was annexed by Russian troops in 2014.
>In addition to the countermeasures alongside the bridge, Russia has significantly increased its air defences in the western part of Crimea, partly to protect Kerch bridge from missile attack.
“It doesn’t surprise me at all that the Russians are concerned about Kerch bridge. It’s incredibly important to them,” Breedlove said.
>“Now that the West has given Ukraine [sub-sonic, sea-skimming cruise] Harpoon missiles [with a range of up 200 miles] I think the Russians have every reason to be worried about Ukraine launching an attack on the bridge.
>“There are many western leaders and ex-leaders like me who are having conversations now about what would happen if Russia begins to sink Ukrainian grain ships or if the Russian naval blockade goes kinetic.”
>Breedlove added: “There are discussions about how the West can respond if this happens. Several people I have spoken to say ‘dropping’ [destroying] Kerch bridge would be a huge blow to Russia. Kerch bridge is a legitimate target.
>“I am a trained civil engineer and I know about bridge construction. All bridges have their weak points and if targeted in the right spot it could render Kerch bridge unserviceable for a period of time. But if they wanted to drop the bridge that would require a more dedicated bombing operation.”
>Breedlove, whose military advice is still sought by the Biden administration, dismissed those who doubted the wisdom of backing aggressive action by Ukraine.
>“I hear a lot of people asking whether it is right for Ukraine to take such aggressive action and whether the West would support it but I cannot understand that argument,” he said.
>“Russia has invaded Ukraine and has launched attacks not just from inside Ukraine but also from Russia, Belarus, Crimea and the Black Sea, and have killed tens of thousands of people.
>“So we shouldn’t worry about Ukraine being bellicose in its approach to targets inside Russia. It would be like asking Roger Federer to play tennis with one hand tied behind his back and to constantly receive serve.”
>A Harpoon missile was first used by Ukraine last month when a Russian naval tugboat was struck while attempting to deliver weapons to the Moscow-controlled Snake Island in the Black Sea. The island has subsequently been recaptured by Ukraine after Russian troops withdrew.
we would love to, but they are so afraid for this bridge that there is more air defense than in their own country. yes, and it’s dumb because every time we do something cool, the Russians take revenge the next day and let a bunch of old rockets to fish as many people as possible
I’m not an English native speaker, but I think the word “urging” has a different, stronger, meaning.
What that one individual General is saying is the following:
* Hey Ukraine, you know, nobody can be mad at you if you actually do attack that bridge.
* Hey Russia, you better watch that bridge carefully (= better reinforce the troops guarding that bridge, instead of those that attack in Donbass)
If Ukraine does end up bombing the bridge, I just hope they make sure there’s no civilian traffic on it at that time.
I think that bombing the bridge would be more strategically significat before Russia occupied entire Azov Sea coastline of Ukraine.
Serves no purpose since Crimea isn’t landlocked. The Russian will just counter by bombing schools and other civilian targets.
Stick to defending the line and hope Russia runs out of stamina and give up is the current strategy, and that’s what they should stick to.