According to the authorities, eight people have been arrested because of the explosion on the Crimean bridge, which is strategically important for Russia. “To date, five Russian citizens and three citizens of Ukraine and Armenia have been arrested in connection with the criminal proceedings,” the press service of the Russian secret service FSB said on Wednesday, according to the Interfax news agency.
The attack was organized by the Ukrainian military intelligence service, the FSB said. Its boss Kyrylo Budanov is named as the organizer.
On Saturday morning, an explosion shook the 19-kilometer bridge that connects Russia and the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014. Around seven and a half months after the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the building, which is strategically and symbolically important for Russia, was severely damaged. According to official information from Moscow, four people died.
A day later, President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of carrying out a terrorist attack. Since the beginning of the week, Russia has been massively bombing Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. This is considered a response to the explosion at the bridge. The Ukrainian side celebrated the destruction of the bridge, but did not officially accept responsibility for the alleged attack.