Russian arsenal ramps up to protect vital Crimean Bridge

The Crimean Bridge is one of the key sites for the Russian Federation – it connects the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula with the Taman Peninsula. The total length of the bridge exceeds 11 miles, and its damage or destruction would be a huge blow due to significant impacts on, among other things, the logistics of the Russian army in the area.

Given the Crimean Bridge's importance (a direct road and rail link with annexed Crimea), it is not surprising that the Russian Federation is increasingly focusing on ensuring its safety. At the end of May this year, protective barriers appeared near the bridge. Shortly thereafter, in July 2024, our journalist Paweł Maziarz discussed further fortifications being placed by the Russians.

On protecting the Crimean Bridge, Dmytro Pletenchuk, the Ukrainian Navy's spokesman, speaks out. The expert calculates that the Russian Federation "is using all air defence systems, including the S-500, S-400, S-300, and Pancyr-S1, to protect the bridge." – Russia is using all existing air defence systems. I am unsure about the Tor systems, but they use long and short-range systems. These are the S-300, S-400, and even the S-500 and, of course, the Pancyr – said Pletenchuk.

The S-500, S-400, S-300, and Pancyr-S1 systems form the foundation of Russian air defence. Each of them has unique technical features that ensure effectiveness in combating various threats.

The S-500 Prometheus is capable of intercepting targets at a distance of up to 373 miles and at an altitude of up to 125 miles. Designed to combat ballistic and hypersonic missiles, it provides an advanced response to modern air threats, including aircraft, helicopters, and drones.

In turn, the S-400 system can simultaneously track up to 80 targets and guide up to 160 missiles. It can destroy targets at a distance of 248 miles and at an altitude of up to 19 miles. The system is capable of combating both aircraft and ballistic missiles. Meanwhile, the S-300, despite older technology, remains an effective anti-aircraft defence tool. The system can simultaneously track up to 100 targets and destroy targets at a distance of 124 miles at an altitude of 17 miles. The S-300 missiles reach speeds of almost 5,000 mph.

Pancyr-S1, on the other hand, combines artillery and missile systems. It has 30 mm calibre cannons with a firing rate of up to 2,500 rounds per minute, capable of destroying targets at a distance of 2.5 miles. The missile section contains 12 launchers, capable of striking targets at a distance of 12 miles and at an altitude of 9 miles. The system is equipped with two radars for detecting and guiding targets.