Despite Shoigu’s threats of striking “decision-making centers in Kyiv,” Ukrainian forces struck and damaged a key automobile bridge to the Crimea Peninsula with long-range missiles reportedly of British/French origin, on Thursday June 22, in the latest Ukrainian attack against vital Russian military logistics routes.

Local residents reported three explosions at around 5 a.m. on the E105 highway near the town of Chonhar. This is a stretch of causeway, over a 100-meter-wide inlet from the Sea of Azov, an area that is salt marsh saturated with water even in dry seasons.

The following night, June 23, the Russian side launched 13 missiles, which were intercepted by Ukrainian air defense forces.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner PMC, stated that yet another 'red line crossing' went without a response from Russian authorities.

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“We haven’t had any red lines for a long time; we only have brown stains on our pants. Every time the enemy [Ukrainian Army] strikes our territory, I make up stories about nighttime missile strikes that usually hit transformers without causing any damage to the enemy,” said the head of Wagner.

A Russian proxy in the Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo, accused Kyiv of carrying out the bridge strike on a significant day for Russia, which marks the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany. He also threatened to launch strikes on bridges in the Odesa region and Moldova.

ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 2, 2024
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ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 2, 2024

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 "Today, June 22, what does it symbolize? That the beginning of the end for the Kyiv regime is near, and there will be another 'fiery greeting.' The coordinates of the bridges in the Odesa region and the Moldovan Giurgiulesti, which were originally part of Ukraine... We have access to all these coordinates, so a very serious response will be given soon," he stated.

 

Russian ultra-nationalist Igor Strelkov also criticized the Russian leadership’s lack of reaction to the Ukrainians crossing “red lines”:

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Medvedev [President of Russain Federation (2008-2012), the deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia] promised the esteemed Kyiv partners a strike on their ‘decision-making centers’ if they crossed the ‘red lines.’ The partners didn’t pay attention and crossed the ‘red lines.’ Medvedev quietly retreated," Strelkov wrote on his Telegram.

"Shoigu promised the esteemed partners in Kyiv a strike on their 'decision-making centers' if they crossed the 'red lines.' The partners didn't listen and crossed the 'red lines.' Shoigu has quietly retreated," he added.

“Now it’s the president’s turn. But since he’s not in charge of military matters, maybe he’ll keep quiet... He has eco-tourism and many celebrations.” 

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