Paranoid Putin sinks ‘hedgehog’ sea defences to save £3billion bridge from attacks

The bridge is a lifeline for the Russians as it connects the country with occupied Crimea and is used to shuffle across supplies, but there are fears it could be attacked by Ukraine

Paranoid Vladimir Putin has sunk a number of spiky underwater defences close to his essential £3 billion Crimean Bridge to protect against submarine attacks.

‌The warmonger fears unmanned submersibles could try to destroy the road and rail crossing, a lifeline between occupied Crimea and the Russian mainland. Known as Putin “hedgehogs” for their appearance, several have been sunk in the Kerch Strait as a supposed deterrent.

‌Crimean Winds Ukrainian Telegram channel reported: “The Russians started doing this a little over a month ago. They tell themselves Ukraine already has underwater drones.

“The structures are manufactured at the Zaliv [Shipbuilding Plant in Kerch, Crimea], transported on barges and pontoons, and then lowered into the water using a floating crane.”

‌The structures are a maritime development of “Czech hedgehogs” developed ahead of the Second World War as anti-tank defences. The defences take advantage of the relatively shallow waters under the bridge - 16ft to 49ft - in the Kerch Strait which separates the Black and Azov seas.

This makes it impossible for any Ukrainian sea drone to attack from the deep, yet it does not rule out a sea attack, either surface or submarine. The Kremlin autocrat is also taking myriad other measures to protect his flagship bridge from attack.

The Russians are installing metal towers with platforms on Tuzla Island, under the bridge, on which they are placing the most advanced air defense systems, according to the Centre for Journalistic Investigations. Modern Pantsir-S1M anti-aircraft missile and gun systems are installed there.

Boom barriers have been installed in the Kerch Strait and a chain of 33 barges to protect the bridge, seen as a Putin vanity project built illegally since Crimea is Ukrainian under international law.

Submerged fences are also in place to defend the bridge's giant supports and combat boats are on permanent duty.

Other anti-aircraft defences are in place to protect against both incoming missiles and aerial drones. Vladimir Zelensky has tasked his secret services with toppling the bridge.

‌Ukrainian naval spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk said Ukraine “takes into account everything that the enemy knows, everything that the enemy shows” in plotting to destroy the bridge.

‌He added how they are “making every effort to preserve the bridge”.‌

Two partially successful Ukraine strikes have already damaged it. In July last year, the specially developed homegrown marine kamikaze drone called Sea Baby loaded with 850 kg of explosives caused structural damage. In October 2022, a bomb concealed in a truck exploded on the bridge, causing major damage.