Russia Strikes Mayaki Bridge Linking Southern Ukraine to Romania and Moldova to Choke Grain Exports

Russian forces struck the Mayaki bridge on the M-15 Odesa-Reni highway on August 9, severing a road link connecting southern Ukraine to Moldova and Romania via the Dniester crossing that feeds Danube port traffic 12. Ukraine's State Border Guard Service temporarily restricted traffic on the route before partially reopening it hours later 13. Russian military bloggers gave conflicting accounts, with one claiming the span was destroyed and others posting footage showing it still standing, while a local outlet serving Izmail reported the strike caused damage 123. The Institute for the Study of War, which had recorded a prior Russian strike on the same bridge in December 2025, assessed that Moscow is shifting attacks from the maritime export corridor to the overland route Kyiv has relied on since earlier strikes disrupted Black Sea shipping 34. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on August 9 that Ankara has proposed a Russia-Ukraine moratorium on strikes against merchant vessels in the Black Sea and that both sides have received the offer 13.