Strikes On Bridges Leading To Crimea Change Situation At Frontline

• 7.08.2023, 7:57

ISW believes the Russians are facing logistical disruptions.

On 6 August, Ukrainian forces struck two key road bridges along the territories that connect occupied Crimea and occupied Kherson region. This made Russian forces divert road traffic from shorter eastern routes to longer western routes, analysts at the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) emphasise.

"Ukrainian strikes on bridges along critical Russian land lines of communication are part of a Ukrainian blockade campaign designed to set the stage for future decisive counteroffensive operations. .... They are likely to interrupt the transportation of Russian personnel, supplies, and equipment from occupied Crimea for mission-critical Russian defensive operations in western Zaporizhzhia region and on the border of Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions for some indefinite period of time," the report said.

ISW suggests that the extent of damage to the bridge over the Genic Strait is likely to force Russian forces to divert military transport from the Arabat Spit to longer western routes between occupied Crimea and occupied Kherson region.

"Most (if not all) Russian road transport between Crimea and Kherson region will be along or very close to a single 20-kilometre section of the M-17 highway between Ishun and Armyansk. This is a major bottleneck in Russian terrestrial communication lines. It is likely to cause significant logistical disruptions, delays and traffic jams," the analysts note.

ISW emphasises that Ukrainian forces are also expanding efforts to intercept Russian naval targets engaged in Russian logistics in the Black Sea.

"Ukrainian officials have consistently stated their commitment to a campaign of deliberately blocking Russian military targets in order to worsen Russia's logistics and defence capabilities to create favourable conditions for future Ukrainian counter-offensive activities," the analysts remind.