What the Crimea bridge attack means for Ukraine’s counteroffensive

The assault was a reminder to the Russian people that the conflict is not restricted to a foreign land, writes Kim Sengupta

The latest attack was on a part of the bridge less used by Russian forces, but still an important link (Ostorozhno Novosti via AP)

The last time the Kerch Bridge was attacked in this war was nine months ago, the day after Vladimir Putin’s 70th birthday. The Ukrainians put out a video of Marilyn Monroe singing “Happy birthday, Mr President” with footage of flames and rubble in the background.

Retaliation took the form of swarms of drones striking Kyiv after weeks of relative lull, and S-300 missile attacks in the Donbas. In the town of Slovyansk we saw the bodies of a young family who had fled there from the front line.

The Russians blamed Western special forces, from Britain in particular, for the explosion on one of the Russian president’s vanity projects, which had become a key logistical route for Moscow’s forces following the invasion.