Putin accuses Ukraine of being behind the Crimean Bridge bombing, describing it as a “terrorist act”

Posted in: 10/10/2022 – 09:11

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday accused Ukraine of masterminding the powerful explosion that damaged a bridge linking Russia and Crimea, describing the bombing as a “terrorist act”.

“There is no doubt that this is a terrorist act with the aim of destroying important civilian infrastructure. This act was orchestrated, carried out and ordered by Ukrainian forces,” he added in a video posted on the Kremlin’s Telegram channel. Putin met Alexander Bastrykin, head of the Russian Investigative Committee, who presented him with the findings of an investigation into the explosion that occurred on Saturday and caused a fire on the bridge.

Saturday’s explosion on the bridge over the Kerch Strait was greeted with jubilant messages from Ukrainian officials, without claiming responsibility. The bridge is a major supply route for Moscow’s forces fighting in southern Ukraine. The bridge is also vital to the port city of Sevastopol, home to the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

The bombing of the bridge, which is considered an important symbol of Moscow’s annexation of the Crimea, came amid defeats suffered by Russia on the battlefield, and would further weaken the Kremlin’s messages of reassurance that the conflict is proceeding as planned. Rail services and partial traffic resumed a day following the explosion. Pictures showed a partial collapse of the vehicular path of the bridge.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, and President Vladimir Putin inaugurated the 19-kilometre Crimean Bridge that connects the region to Russia’s transport network, during a grand celebration four years later. And local news agencies quoted Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khosnolin as saying that divers will start work today to determine the extent of the damage to the Crimean bridge, with a more detailed survey over water to be completed by the end of the day.

The Russian Ministry of Transport announced that the movement of freight trains and long-distance trains passing through the Crimean Bridge was organized today, Sunday, according to the established schedule. The movement of vehicles resumed to a limited extent yesterday, regarding ten hours following the explosion. “The situation is manageable…it is disturbing, but it is not catastrophic,” Russian governor of Crimea, Sergei Aksionov, told reporters.