2022 Crimean Bridge explosion
![]() | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (October 2022) |
Part of the southern Ukraine campaign of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine | |
Date | 8 October 2022 |
---|---|
Zeit | 6:07 a.m. (UTC+03:00) |
Standort | Crimean Bridge |
Coordinates | 45°18′12″N 36°30′38″E / 45.30333°N 36.51056°E |
Deaths | 3[1][2] |
In the morning of 8 October 2022 at 06:07 (Moscow time), during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, an explosion occurred on the road portion of the Crimean Bridge, causing major damage. Seven fuel cars of a passing railway train also ignited, causing an extensive fire on the parallel rail bridge, and two half-sections of the road bridge collapsed.[3]
Russian state media reported that a truck caused the explosion.[4] Vladimir Konstantinov, a Russian-installed leader in Crimea, accused Ukraine of responsibility.[5] As of 8 October 2022, neither Ukraine nor NATO have released an official statement on the incident. Senior Ukrainian officials previously stated that the bridge would be a legitimate target for a missile strike.[6]
Event
On October 8, 2022, an explosion occurred on the automobile part of the Crimean Bridge from the side of the Taman Peninsula.[7] The press service of the Crimean Railway stated that at 6:05 a.m. the equipment showed false employment on the railway tracks on the railway part of the transport crossing through the Kerch Strait, and a tank caught fire in the tail of the freight train. As a result of the explosion, several spans of the roadway were destroyed, and road and rail traffic was stopped.[8]
The Crimean Bridge is an important part of the transport connection between Russia and occupied Crimea for the southern theater of operations of the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Initially, two possible causes of the fire were announced: the explosion of a tank car on the railway part and the explosion of a car, probably a truck, on the automobile part of the bridge. The main one was the version with the explosion of the truck. According to the National Anti-Terrorism Committee of the Russian Federation, a truck was blown up, which caused the fire of seven fuel tanks.[9].
No one claimed responsibility for the explosion, while the Ukrainian media Ukrainska Pravda and UNIAN, citing their own sources, stated that it was an SSU operation.[10][11]
Reactions
Ukraine
The Ukrainian government's official Twitter account tweeted "sick burn" in response to the fire, while Mykhailo Podoliak, a Ukrainian presidential advisor, called the damage a "beginning": "Crimea, a bridge, a beginning. Everything illegal must be destroyed, everything stolen must be returned to Ukraine, everything Russian occupation must be expelled."[12]
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine compared the destruction of the Crimean Bridge to the destruction of the cruiser "Moskva": "What's next, Russkies?".[13][14]
Director of Ukrposhta Ihor Smilianskyi announced the release of a new stamp dedicated to the event.[15]
Russland
The Russian occupation authorities of the Crimea accused the Ukrainian side of what happened.[16] The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Maria Zakharova accused the "Kyiv regime" of terrorism, and the deputy of the State Duma Andrey Gurulyov called on the commander-in-chief to "strongly respond".[17]
International
Estonian foreign minister Urmas Reinsalu welcomed the explosion and suggested that Ukrainian special forces were behind it, recalling that the Ukrainian authorities had long called the Crimean Bridge a possible target for a strike.[18]
Aftermath
The Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation announced that the ferry service across the Kerch Strait was re-launched, which operated before the construction of the Crimean bridge.[16]
Crimea imposed restrictions on the sale of groceries and fuel. Two hours after these messages, it was announced that restrictions were lifted in Sevastopol.[19]
See also
References
- ^ Crimea bridge blast damages key Russian supply route; 3 dead The Washington Post
- ^ Russian authorities say 3 killed in Crimea bridge blast The San Diego Union-Tribune
- ^ "Crimean bridge fire: Blaze erupts on only bridge linking peninsula to Russia". BBC News. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "Fuel tank ablaze at bridge in Crimea -Russia's RIA". Reuters. Reuters. 8 October 2022. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "Russia-Ukraine updates: Crimean bridge fire caused by truck explosion, Russian officials say". DW. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ Kramer, Andrew E.; Schwirtz, Michael (8 October 2022). "Fiery Damage to Crimea Bridge Imperils Russian Supply Route". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "Взорван Крымский мост: что известно • «Агентство»". «Агентство» (in Russian). 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "Взрыв на Крымском мосту. Движение остановлено. Часть автомобильного моста обрушилась. Это произошло на следующий день после дня рождения Путина". Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "Взорван Крымский мост: что известно • «Агентство»". «Агентство» (in Russian). 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "Security Service of Ukraine behind explosion on Crimean bridge". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "Украинские СМИ со ссылкой на источник сообщили, что взрыв на Крымском мосту — операция СБУ". Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "Crimean bridge: Explosion is 'the beginning', says Zelensky adviser". BBC News. 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "Key Bridge Linking Crimea to Russia Damaged as Truck Bomb Goes Off; Ukraine Says 'What's Next, Russkies?'". News18. 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "Міноборони про Кримський міст: «Що далі на черзі, росіяни?»". Громадське радіо (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "Кримський міст: Міноборони України та голова "Укрпошти" потролили росіян — DSnews.ua". www.dsnews.ua (in Ukrainian). 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ a b "Взрыв на Крымском мосту. Движение остановлено. Часть автомобильного моста обрушилась. Это произошло на следующий день после дня рождения Путина". Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ Петренко, Роман. ""І?": російська влада і пропагандисти реагують на руйнування Кримського мосту". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ ""С днем рождения, Путин?" Рейнсалу: Эстония приветствует подрыв Крымского моста". Delfi RUS (in Russian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "В Крыму начали вводить ограничения на продажу продуктов и топлива". Important Stories (in Russian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.