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2022 Crimean Bridge explosion

Coordinates: 45°18′12″N 36°30′38″E / 45.30333°N 36.51056°E / 45.30333; 36.51056
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2022 Crimean Bridge explosion
Part of the southern Ukraine campaign of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Date8 October 2022
Zeit6:07 a.m. (UTC+03:00)
StandortCrimean Bridge
Coordinates45°18′12″N 36°30′38″E / 45.30333°N 36.51056°E / 45.30333; 36.51056
Deaths3[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]

Background

The bridge linking Crimea and the Kuban began construction in February 2016, after the Russian occupation and annexation of the peninsula.[7] The Russian authorities called the construction of the bridge a "historic mission", one of the key tasks for the "final unification of Crimea with Russia."[8] In May 2018, the bridge was opened to traffic, and in December 2019, trains were launched.[9]

In 2022, with the start of the Russian invasion, the bridge was used to supply the Russian Armed Forces in the southern theater of operations of the Russo-Ukrainian War.[10]

Ukrainian officials and the military have repeatedly declared their intention to destroy the Crimean Bridge, considering it as a legitimate military target.[11] Thus, in August 2022, an adviser to the presidential office, Mykhailo Podoliak, said in an interview with The Guardian: “It’s an illegal construction and the main gateway to supply the Russian army in Crimea. Such objects should be destroyed,”[12] Major General of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Dmytro Marchenko stated that the bridge would become “target number one” as soon as Ukraine had weapons to attack it.[13]

Event

On 8 October 2022, an explosion occurred on the automobile part of the Crimean Bridge from the side of the Taman Peninsula.[14] The press service of the Crimean Railway stated that at 6:05 am 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.[15]

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[clarification needed] was the version with the explosion of the truck. According to the National Anti-Terrorism Committee [ru] of the Russian Federation, a truck was blown up, which caused the fire of seven fuel tanks.[14]

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.[16][17]

Reactions

Ukrainian

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."[18]

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine compared the destruction of the Crimean Bridge to the destruction of the cruiser Moskva: "What's next, Russkies?".[19][20]

Director of Ukrposhta Ihor Smilianskyi announced the release of a new stamp dedicated to the event.[21]

Russian

The Russian occupation authorities of the Crimea accused the Ukrainian side of what happened.[22] 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".[23]

Foreign

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.[24]

Polish politician, member of the European Parliament Robert Biedroń said:[25]: "A balm for the heart, especially since yesterday was Putin's birthday. It's good that Putin received such a gift. I hope he gets more. Ukrainians are destroying Russia's illegal infrastructure [in the occupied Crimea]".[26][27]

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.[22] Crimea imposed restrictions on the sale of groceries and fuel. Two hours after these messages, it was announced that restrictions were lifted in Sevastopol.[28]

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. It is expected that the destruction of the Crimean Bridge will lead to increased problems with the supply of Russian troops in the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and in the entire southern part of Ukraine. In addition, with the closure of the bridge, it becomes more difficult for local residents to leave Crimea, although other ways remain, including ports.[29]

The symbolic nature of the destruction became no less important for the Kremlin. The opening of the bridge in 2018 was considered one of Putin's greatest achievements. After the Russian invasion of 2022, the structure was one of the most protected objects.[30] A week before the explosion, a decree was signed on the annexation of four Ukrainian regions by Russia, after which Russia continued to threaten Ukraine with nuclear weapons in the event of an attack on objects in the annexed territories.[31]

Investigation

By order of Putin, a special commission was created to investigate the circumstances of the explosion, which included representatives of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Transport, the FSS, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Russian Guard. The Investigative Committee opened a criminal investigation into the explosion.[32] Representatives of the special services drew attention to the work of the next shift, which missed the truck with explosives, despite the complexes installed at the entrance to the bridge for the care of suspicious cargo.[33]

According to the report of the investigative committee, three people died as a result of the explosion, probably passengers of the car that was next to the truck.[34].

See also

References

  1. ^ Crimea bridge blast damages key Russian supply route; 3 dead The Washington Post
  2. ^ Russian authorities say 3 killed in Crimea bridge blast The San Diego Union-Tribune
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ "Путин за рулем "Камаза" открыл Крымский мост. Главные факты о проекте". Русская служба Би-би-си. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  8. ^ "Putin's Crimean Bridge and its undercurrents". BBC Ukrainian Service. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Train traffic opened on the Crimean Bridge". Deutsche Welle. 23 December 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  10. ^ "The Crimean bridge partially collapsed after the explosion. Fuel tanks were on fire". BBC Russian Service. 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  11. ^ "The explosion on the Crimean bridge may have been the result of sabotage". Deutsche Welle. 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  12. ^ "Ukraine aiming to create chaos within Russian forces, Zelenskiy adviser says". the Guardian. 16 August 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  13. ^ "An explosion occurred on the Crimean bridge: the roadbed collapsed, traffic was stopped". istories.media. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  14. ^ a b "Взорван Крымский мост: что известно". Agentstvo (in Russian). 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  15. ^ "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.
  16. ^ "Security Service of Ukraine behind explosion on Crimean bridge". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  17. ^ "Украинские СМИ со ссылкой на источник сообщили, что взрыв на Крымском мосту — операция СБУ". Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  18. ^ "Crimean bridge: Explosion is 'the beginning', says Zelensky adviser". BBC News. 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  19. ^ "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.
  20. ^ "Міноборони про Кримський міст: «Що далі на черзі, росіяни?»". Громадське радіо (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  21. ^ "Кримський міст: Міноборони України та голова "Укрпошти" потролили росіян — DSnews.ua". www.dsnews.ua (in Ukrainian). 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  22. ^ 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.
  23. ^ Петренко, Роман. ""І?": російська влада і пропагандисти реагують на руйнування Кримського мосту". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  24. ^ ""С днем рождения, Путин?" Рейнсалу: Эстония приветствует подрыв Крымского моста". Delfi RUS (in Russian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  25. ^ "Gorące komentarze po wybuchu na moście Krymskim. "W Rosji Putina rozpada się wszystko" | Wiadomości Radio ZET". wiadomosci.radiozet.pl (in Polish). 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  26. ^ "Gorące komentarze po wybuchu na moście Krymskim. "W Rosji Putina rozpada się wszystko" | Wiadomości Radio ZET". wiadomosci.radiozet.pl (in Polish). 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  27. ^ ""Взрыв на Крымском мосту. Что о нем говорят в России и Украине Первые реакции"". Медуза (in Russian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  28. ^ "В Крыму начали вводить ограничения на продажу продуктов и топлива". Important Stories (in Russian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  29. ^ Beaumont, Peter (8 October 2022). "Impact of Kerch bridge blast will be felt all the way to the Kremlin". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  30. ^ "Destroy the Crimean Bridge: how it is protected, how much it is needed and what it will give Defense Express". defence-ua.com (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  31. ^ Beaumont, Peter (8 October 2022). "Impact of Kerch bridge blast will be felt all the way to the Kremlin". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  32. ^ "Вибух на Кримському мосту: в Росії відкрили кримінальне провадження". ТСН.ua (in Ukrainian). 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  33. ^ "Росіяни не можуть зрозуміти, як вантажівка з вибухівкою заїхала на Кримський міст". ТСН.ua (in Ukrainian). 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  34. ^ "Вибух на Кримському мосту: Загинули щонайменше троє людей". novosti.dn.ua (in ua). Retrieved 8 October 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
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