According to satellite images from Planet Labs released by the Schemes project, dark spots from damage are visible in the central part of the Chonhar Bridge and a pontoon crossing is positioned right next to it. The images were taken after an attack on the night of June 6-7 — but this turned out to be only the first of two strikes.

What happened and when

On June 7, drones damaged the roadway in one direction. The occupying administration closed traffic, but soon resumed it in reverse mode. On the night of June 8-9, the 1st Separate Assault Brigade named after Dmytro Kotsyubaylo together with the "Fala" Multidomain Operations Center delivered a second drone strike using FP-2 drones — this time traffic was completely halted.

"The object has not been destroyed, but is completely disabled. Transport links are blocked."

1st Separate Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Facebook post

Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, stated that the bridge has been "destroyed," while Russian authorities are attempting to conceal the situation. Military experts assess this more cautiously: the structure is damaged, but Russia is capable of carrying out rapid repairs.

Why the pontoon is not improvisation

The fact that a pontoon crossing has already been deployed next to the bridge indicates preparation, not reaction. Russians apparently calculated the scenario of strikes and organized a reserve crossing in advance — similar to what was done near the Antonivsky Bridge in 2022.

What this means for logistics

The Chonhar Bridge is the shortest land route between Crimea and the mainland of occupied territories. Through it pass military equipment, ammunition, and fuel for groupings in Kherson region and the Orikhiv direction.

• Alternatives — through Armyansk and Perekop — are substantially longer and route transport closer to the zone of Ukrainian drone strikes.
• According to military expert Lakiichuk, groupings in Kherson region are already experiencing shortages of ammunition and fuel-lubricant materials, and lengthening the logistics line exacerbates this problem.
• Gauleiter Saldo called on drivers to use a detour through Armyansk — effectively confirming that the bridge is not functioning.

Experts compare the tactics of repeated strikes to the attrition near the Antonivsky Bridge: not destruction in one strike, but systematic deprivation of the enemy's ability to operate the facility normally. However, the Crimean Bridge remains crucial for complete isolation of Crimea by land — as long as it functions, Chonhar is important but not the only hub.

If Ukraine can maintain the Chonhar Bridge in a non-functional state longer than Russia can repair it — the pontoon will transform from a temporary solution into a permanent indicator that Crimea's logistics are dependent on a backup option.