I doubt A/B testing. If the original headline was "Bridge destroyed" then it was simply factually wrong, blatantly incorrect, and seemed unlikely to me coming from a news-source like the NY Times which still has some shreds of a reputation for journalistic integrity.
I doubt it's A/B testing - news organisations often amend, update or edit headlines as stories develop. I know that we used to change headlines and body content through the day back in the late 90s when I worked for an online newspaper.
It appears one road span is completely in the water, the other span appears impassable. A fuel train on the railroad span caught on fire and was fully engulfed. The entire route is impassable.
From video it appears a semi crossing the bridge exploded.
Actual headline: "Explosion Damages Crimea Bridge, Imperiling Russian Supply Route".