"Missile Shot Down Flying Toward Krim Bridge"... Defending 'Putin's Pride'

On the 9th (local time), Russian forces announced that they successfully intercepted cruise missiles flying near the Crimean Peninsula. The Crimean Bridge, known as 'Putin's pride,' was the site that collapsed last October due to an attack by Ukrainian forces.

According to major foreign media on the day, Russian authorities stated, "Russia's air defense system shot down four missiles." One was intercepted over the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, and three were shot down over the Russian regions of Rostov and Bryansk, which border Ukraine.

Sergey Aksyonov, the Crimean Prime Minister appointed by Russia, announced via Telegram that Russian forces intercepted a cruise missile flying near Kerch City in the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula. No casualties or damage were reported.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

However, Russian authorities did not disclose where the missiles were launched from. Pro-Russian Telegram channels speculated that the missiles were fired by Ukrainian forces, interpreting the attack as an attempt to target critical logistics facilities.

Various social media platforms circulated videos capturing the moment Russia's air defense system intercepted missiles flying toward the Crimean Bridge.

The Crimean Bridge is the only bridge connecting mainland Russia and the Crimean Peninsula. It is a vital supply route built at a cost of trillions of won, holding significant strategic value. Additionally, the Crimean Bridge is known as Russia's pride symbolizing its sovereignty over the Crimean Peninsula.

Last October, a bomb exploded on the Crimean Bridge, causing part of the bridge to collapse. Ukrainian forces effectively acknowledged their involvement in the incident recently, about nine months after the attack.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.