Kyiv – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday accused Ukraine of orchestrating a powerful explosion that destroyed a bridge connecting Russia and Crimea, describing it as an “act of terrorism”.
“There is no doubt, this is a terrorist act aimed at destroying very important civilian infrastructure,” Putin said in a video on the Kremlin’s Telegram channel.
“This was conceived, carried out and ordered by the Ukrainian special services,” Putin said.
He had met with the chairman of the Russian Commission of Inquiry, Alexander Bastrikin. He was presenting findings on Saturday’s explosion and fire at the bridge.
The blast on the bridge over the Kerch Strait, A key supply route to Moscow forces in southern Ukraine sparked a welcome message from Ukrainian officials on Saturday, but no claim of responsibility.
The bridge is also the main artery of the Sevastopol port, where the Russian Black Sea Fleet is based.
The damage to the bridge, a striking symbol of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, comes amid Russia’s battlefield defeat and could further cloud the Kremlin’s reassurance that conflict is planned.
Rail service and partial road traffic resumed the day after the explosion. Images showed half of the bridge’s roadway blown away, with the other half still attached.
Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, and four years later President Putin opened a 19-kilometer bridge linking the region to transport networks.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Kusnurin said divers began work on Sunday to investigate damage to the Crimean bridge and a more detailed survey above the waterline is expected to be completed by the end of the day, the domestic news agency said. company reported.
Russia’s Ministry of Transport said freight trains and long-distance passenger trains across the bridge were running as scheduled on Sunday. Limited road traffic resumed on Saturday, about 10 hours after the explosion.
“The situation is manageable. “Of course there are emotions being triggered and a healthy desire for revenge.” Reuters
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/putin-accuses-ukraine-of-orchestrating-crimea-bridge-blast-calls-it-terrorism Putin has accused Ukraine of orchestrating the Crimean bridge blow-up.call it terrorism