According to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh, the Biden administration played a vital role in enabling both Ukrainian attacks on the Kerch Bridge. In a recent post on his Substack, Hersh claimed that Washington provided the technology for the drone attack that damaged the bridge on July 17. An American official confirmed that it was their technology, describing the drone as remotely guided and half submerged, similar to a torpedo.
Hersh did not reveal his source, but he stated that the post was written from the perspective of American intelligence officials who feel their voices are not being heard by President Joe Biden. When asked if the US intelligence community had considered the possibility of Russian retaliation for the bridge attack, the source replied that they did not think that far ahead.
In early October 2022, a truck bomb exploded on the Crimean Bridge, causing serious damage and resulting in the deaths of three civilians. The bridge required months of repairs. The July drone attack also claimed two lives and left a 14-year-old girl orphaned.
While Kiev celebrated both attacks, they officially denied any responsibility. However, US intelligence quickly attributed the truck bombing to Ukrainian intelligence. Finally, the head of Ukraine’s main intelligence agency, the SBU, recently claimed credit for the blast.
Despite purportedly asking Kiev not to use US-provided weapons to strike Russian territory, Washington maintains that Crimea and other regions are Ukrainian territory and therefore legitimate targets. This has led to what some perceive as complete permissiveness from the US, which risks escalating the conflict, as Russia’s ambassador to the US warned in January.
In retaliation for the July bridge attack, Russia targeted port facilities in Odessa. Additionally, the so-called Black Sea grain deal, which allowed Ukraine to export corn and sunflower seeds to the EU, was terminated in the aftermath of the attack.
According to Hersh’s source, the exports from Odessa also included illegal substances like drugs and oil that Ukraine obtained from Russia. The source also expressed concern about Washington’s continued support for Kiev, including an attempt to purchase a ten-year supply of artillery shells from Pakistan. The official described Ukraine as running low on ammunition and speculated that US support for Kiev might be due to Ukrainian President Zelensky’s knowledge of President Biden, not just because he was involved with Biden’s son, Hunter.
Overall, Hersh’s claims paint a picture of US involvement in Ukrainian attacks on the Kerch Bridge and highlight concerns about the lack of accountability in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
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