The Kerch Bridge and other Russian weapons supply lines were blocked after Ukrainian strikes on ammunition depots in Russian-occupied Crimea’. And suddenly, Russian war supplies stopped.
Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian military facilities in Crimea
The series of broad combat drone attacks on military facilities in Crimea showed that the Ukrainian army found a temporary weakness in the Russian air defence.
In the context of the attacks on the Kerch Bridge and the Chongar Bridge, Russian troops focused their air defence in the northern part of the peninsula and near the Crimea Bridge in the east. Instead, Ukrainians hit the military bases and warehouses with ammunition in the centre.
The Ukrainian drones simultaneously reached three Russian airfields in the deep rear. Massive explosions struck military facilities in the Krasnohvardiysk district, the centre of the peninsula. Ukrainians hit multiple targets there. In one of the most significant airfields in Crimea, a huge ammunition depot was destroyed.
The second Ukrainian strike destroyed the oil depot in Oktiabrske. It provoked multiple detonations and massive fires, making local authorities launch evacuation of residents in a five-kilometre radius. The railroad movement was stopped.
Russian troops struggle after supply lines destruction
The head of the Crimean administration urged all people not to use the Kerch Bridge so that military supplies could move without hurdles. Russians closed the Kerch Bridge, fearing new strikes meaning that all main supply lines were out of use.
The Crimean supply line destruction created significant problems for the Russians invading forces in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Ukrainian army reported that the shortages in the Russian ammo supplies started to kick in on 20 July, as Russian troops were able to return fire less frequently and less intensely.
More Russian operations were conducted with less or no artillery support, turning many areas very dangerous.
Russian war bloggers killed
On 21 July, it was confirmed that a notable Russian military blogger, nicknamed “Misha na Donbase,” got under artillery fire somewhere near Krasnohorivka and died. Ukrainian sources say that he died in the aftermath of a cluster shell explosion, while Russian authorities say that he died after a successful Ukrainian counterattack.
On 22 July, Russian war correspondent Rostislav Zhuravlyov, who was reporting on how Russian drones are destroying Ukrainian artillery, got under Ukrainian artillery fire together with his team. All of them were still located somewhere on the Russian base and were preparing to get closer to the contact line. The war correspondent was killed in the strike.
On 22 July, Russian member of parliament Aleksandr Boroday also got under Ukrainian artillery fire during his visit to the Bakhmut sector. There is graphic footage that confirms that he was wounded but survived. Back in 2014, Borodai was one of the commanders of the “DPR” militia (Russia’s proxy separatist “Donetsk People’s Republic”).
Ukraine Russia war video map
Ukrainian counteroffensive in the south and frontline update
On the night of July 24, the Russians conducted another air strikes using Iranian-made Shahed combat drones on peaceful cities in Ukraine.
In addition, the Russian invaders launched a missile attack on the territory of Ukraine, using 17 cruise missiles and 2 ballistic missiles, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Air defences of the Ukrainian Air Force destroyed 9 cruise missiles, according to the report. Russians attack Odesa again.
Russian troops focused their central offensive attempts in the areas of Kupyansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mariinka. Several dozen battles took place in these areas. However, no significant progress was recorded by either side.
In Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, the Ukrainian military continues their counter-offensive operations. Russian troops in the occupied areas are focusing on preventing further advance of Ukrainian forces. Ukrainians advanced in the area of Pryiutne in the Zaporizhzhia region.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to conduct offensive operations at the Melitopol and Berdiansk directions and consolidate the achieved positions. At the same time, the Ukrainians are shelling ammunition depots, artillery and command posts of the occupation forces.
