2023-07-17 05:18:14
Traffic on the Crimean Bridge came to a standstill on Monday night due to an “emergency situation”. This is what the governor Sergei Aksyonov, appointed by Russia, wrote on Telegram. Russian and Ukrainian media reported that explosions were heard earlier on the bridge connecting the Crimea peninsula with Russia’s Krasnodar Krai. According to Russian sources, two people were killed and a girl – who lost her parents – was injured.
The Russian Telegram channel “Grey Zone”, which is linked to the Wagner mercenary group, reports two hits on the Crimean bridge at 3:04 a.m. and 3:20 a.m. (local time). The footage published on the canal shows at least one damaged bridge section. The extent of the damage apparently caused on the car lane was initially not foreseeable. The railway line that also runs over the bridge is unlikely to have been severely damaged. As Aksyonov later wrote, train traffic was to be resumed in the morning.
The governor spoke of an incident on the 145th pillar of the bridge. The law enforcement authorities and all responsible departments are in action. Measures would be taken to restore the situation. Ferry traffic in the Kerch Strait was also suspended. Aksyonov urged residents to remain calm. Residents of the region and tourists should choose an alternative land route through the Russian-occupied regions of southern Ukraine for safety reasons. The two deaths were reported by Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. The victims came from the Russian region.
In the past, Ukraine had repeatedly threatened attacks on the 19-kilometer Kerch Bridge, which is an important supply and supply route for Russian troops in Crimea. In October 2022, the bridge was badly damaged in an explosion, but was later repaired. At the end of May, the Ukrainian secret service admitted involvement in the explosion for the first time.
Kiev has announced that it wants to recapture Crimea. According to media reports from Russia, despite the tense security situation and lengthy controls, Russian vacationers are once again being drawn in large numbers to the peninsula, which vacationers can only reach by train or car.
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