In a surprising turn of events, Ukraine has allegedly launched an attack on the Kerch Strait Bridge, which connects the Crimea region to mainland Russia. Consequently, the bridge has been temporarily shut down, as stated by Sergei Aksyonov, the Kremlin-appointed leader of Crimea. However, military bloggers in Russia have reported that the assault was initiated by Ukraine.
Tragically, a family from the Belgorod region lost their lives in the incident, while their daughter sustained injuries, according to Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of the Belgorod region. The Russian Ministry of Defense’s television channel, Zvezda News, provided this information. The Russian Ministry of Transport has released a brief statement on its Telegram channel, indicating that although there is damage to the roadway leading from Crimea, a thorough inspection of the entire structure is currently underway.
This incident comes approximately nine months after a previous attack on the bridge on October 8, when a truck containing explosives caused a lane closure and damaged the railroad tracks, resulting in three fatalities.
The Kerch Strait Bridge, spanning 12 miles and hailed as an impressive engineering marvel, was fully reopened for vehicular traffic in February 2018. Subsequently, railroad traffic returned to normalcy in May of the same year.
The bridge serves as a crucial supply route for Russian troops stationed in Ukraine, as well as the Black Sea fleet based in the historic Crimean port of Sevastopol. Disrupting traffic on the bridge forces Russia to rely on land routes across southern Ukraine, which are vulnerable to Ukrainian shelling, for supplying its troops in Crimea and southern Ukraine.
This closure coincides with the peak of the summer travel season, when Crimea is a sought-after destination for Russian tourists looking for an affordable beach getaway. As a result, Crimean officials have urged tourists to stay in their hotels due to the situation. Videos circulating on social media depict traffic congestion on the roads leading to the bridge.
Mr. Aksyonov, addressing the matter on his Telegram channel, has advised both residents and visitors to avoid using the bridge and instead utilize the “alternative overland route through the new regions,” referring to the areas of southern Ukraine occupied by Russia during its invasion. It is important to note that Russia unlawfully annexed Crimea in 2014.
Railroad traffic is expected to resume by 9 a.m. on Monday, according to Mr. Aksyonov. Additionally, officials have reassured the population in Crimea that there is an ample supply of food and fuel stored on the peninsula to sustain them during the bridge’s closure.
Reporting for this article was contributed by Milana Mazaeva.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
