Ukraine claims responsibility for attack on strategic bridge in Crimea
- 17 July, 15:35
A Ukrainian security official on Monday claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on the Kerch Bridge connecting annexed Crimea peninsula to Russia.
A source in Ukraine’s Security Service, the SBU, said the attack on the bridge was a joint operation of the SBU and Ukraine’s naval forces. Two people were killed and their daughter was injured in the attack, according to Russian-appointed officials. Two strikes on the bridge were reportedly carried out on the night leading to July 17. Russia’s Transport Ministry said on Telegram that there was a damage to the roadway on spans of the Crimea Bridge.
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the blast as a “terrorist act”, adding that President Putin has been informed about the incident and that Deputy Prime Minister Marat Knusnullin would visit Crimea today to assess the situation. The attack on Monday was the second since Russia launched its full-fledged invasion of Ukraine. Last year, another blast partially damaged the crossing, causing parts of it to collapse. The 19-kilometer bridge is the only direct link between Crimea and Russia mainland, supplying the peninsula with both daily needs and military supplies. A Ukraine official on Monday said damage to the bridge could hamper Russian logistics. “Any logistical problems are additional complications for the occupiers, which create potential advantages for the Ukrainian defense forces,” Representative of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine Andrii Yusov said to Ukraine’s public broadcaster, Suspilne.
The blast in the bridge has caused a 5-km-long traffic jam in occupied parts of Ukraine’s southern Kherson region bordering Crimea as residents have been fleeing from the peninsula since morning. Crimea residents have also been seeking to leave for Russia’s Krasnodar region.
