The Crimean bridge is guarded by fighter jets from the sky, and by divers and fighting dolphins underwater Russian media
IRYNA BALACHUK — SUNDAY, 9 OCTOBER 2022, 16:18
The Russian media Meduza called the Crimean Bridge, damaged by the explosion on 8 October, one of the most protected places in the world - it is allegedly guarded from the ground, from the sky, from the sea, and even from underwater and space.
Source: [Latvia-based Russian media outlet] Meduza
Details: According to the publication, the entrances to the Crimean Bridge on both sides are guarded by special units of the Rosgvardiya (their task is to inspect cars entering this crossing for explosives and illegal cargo, but it should be noted that their inspections were carried out randomly).
According to the statements made by the Russian Ministry of Transport, vans and trucks are illuminated with the help of special systems that can allegedly "detect even a nut in the interior of the car or see what the driver took with him for lunch."
Observation points were also set up on the bridge.
It is reported that in the event of an emergency, a special rapid response team has orders to arrive on the scene within a few minutes to clear the scene of an accident and investigate what has happened.
The Rosgvardiya [The National Guard or Rosgvardiya is the internal military force of Russia] is allegedly assisted by special border control FSB forces and anti-sabotage groups working both on land and water.
According to the publication, small mobile boats of several missions patrol the coastline of the city: anti-sabotage boats of the Grachonok type (equipped with machine guns, grenade launchers or even Igla missile systems), boats of the Mangust project (equipped with machine guns and missiles, but they are mainly used for interception of ships and inspection).
In addition, it is reported that, if necessary, BK-16 amphibious boats (the same missiles, machine guns and 19 paratroopers on board), Afalina and Sargan motor boats can be used.
To protect the bridge from ramming, special cylindrical concrete fortifications have been built in front of its piers, which will prevent ships from sailing too near to the piers of the crossing.
From land, the ships are supported by the Bal coastal missile complex, equipped with anti-ship missiles with a range of up to 260 kilometres, and the modern complex Bastion with cruise missiles Onyx.
Also, according to Meduza, the bridge is also protected under water - to prevent mining or undermining of the bridge supports, military divers and special groups of the Black Sea Fleet are constantly in action. And the Plavnik water area control system supposedly can detect a person at a distance of 2 km, and a ship at a distance of 3 km.
Special sound traps - the Amulet-P system - also support the protection of the bridge.
In addition to divers and traps, specially trained dolphins are allegedly involved in the protection of the Crimean Bridge.
Russia allegedly monitors the bridge from the special satellite Kosmos-K. And the sky above the crossing is regularly patrolled by Russian Su-27 fighters and Il-38 anti-submarine reconnaissance aircraft.
On the ground, the city is protected by anti-aircraft systems with different ranges: the S-400 Triumph missile system and the Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft system.
It is also reported that radar systems are involved in the protection of the bridge: Podsolnukh (Sunflower) (it is located in Crimea and is able to detect targets at a distance of 450 km) and Voronezh-DM station (covers a distance of 6 thousand km).
The Russian media notes that, according to the BBC's calculations, 700 million rubles [approximately $11 million US dollars] were spent in 2022, plus another 618 million [almost $10 million US dollars] - on various technical security systems.
According to the Russian media outlet, the guarding of the railway part of the bridge has cost a similar amount.
Background:
On the morning of 8 October, it was reported that a large fire had broken out on the railway portion of the Crimean Bridge. The occupying authorities in Crimea claimed that a truck had exploded on the Crimean Bridge. Meanwhile, Volodymyr Konstantinov, the so-called head of the Parliament of Crimea, said that the road surface on the Crimean Bridge had been damaged by "Ukrainian vandals".
Later Russian media shared a video that captured the moment of the explosion on the Crimean Bridge.
Later, the occupiers claimed that the movement of cars and buses across the Crimean Bridge had resumed.
Sources of Ukrainska Pravda reported that the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) is behind the explosion on the Crimean bridge that occurred on early 8 October.
Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
