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- The Kerch Bridge connecting Russia and Crimea was damaged by explosions on Monday morning.
- The bridge was previously hit in October by an bomb-laden truck and didn't reopen until February.
- The attacks harm Russia's economic, symbolic, and military ties to Crimea, experts told Insider.
The 12-mile-bridge connecting Russia and Crimea is a lifeline for Moscow's economic and cultural interests in the occupied peninsula — but recent attacks have damaged it severely, causing lasting problems for Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Crimean occupation officials.