Foreign countries|The Crimean bridge explosion
At least two people are said to have died in attacks on the bridge connecting Crimea and Russia early Monday morning.
Russian and the bridge connecting the Crimean peninsula was attacked early on Monday. Early in the morning, Ukrainian media reported that explosions had been heard on the Crimean bridge.
Conflicting information has spread about the explosions reported from the Kerch Strait bridge. Ukraine and Russia have blamed each other for the alleged attacks, but so far neither the attacks nor their causes have been confirmed by independent sources.
HS compiled what is known so far about the bridge explosions in Crimea.
What kind of damage did the attack cause?
The two of you a person is said to have died as a result of the explosions on the bridge.
Early in the morning, the Russian state news agency Ria Novosti also reported that one child was injured.
This was reported by the Reuters news agency, citing the governor of the city of Belgorod in western Russia. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov the persons who died were the parents of the injured child.
In addition to personal injuries, the attack caused extensive damage to the bridge and its structures. Traffic on the bridge was suspended in the morning.
According to Ria Novosti, the section of the road on the side of the bridge closer to the Crimean peninsula was reportedly damaged.
The local train company also announced disruptions in traffic earlier on Monday. Since then, the Russian state news agency Tass announced that train traffic between Crimea and Russia has been restored.
Russian-backed authorities urged people to avoid using the bridge.
In social videos are circulating in the media, which are allegedly from the Kerch Strait bridge and show its damage.
HS fact checker of John Helin according to the videos of the damage seem real. Based on the footage, Helin estimates that the explosion could have occurred under the bridge.
Who was behind the attack?
Russia and Ukraine have blamed each other for the attack on the Kerch Strait bridge on Monday.
According to a Ukrainian source who spoke to the news agency AFP later on Monday, it was a special operation of the Ukrainian Navy and the Security Service.
The Ukrainian newspaper Ukrainska Pravda also claimed that the Kerch Strait bridge attacks were a special operation of the Ukrainian security services and navy. The newspaper said its information was based on a source from the security services.
Both Ukrainska Pravda and Ukrainian public radio Suspilne claim, according to the Reuters news agency, that the reported attack was carried out by an unmanned vessel traveling along the water. A security service source who spoke to AFP also said the attack was carried out with drones that travel on water.
The Russian Anti-Terrorism Committee is also reported to have claimed that the attack was carried out by an unmanned naval vessel of the Ukrainian security services. The committee claims that Ukraine targeted the bridge with a terrorist attack.
Also, according to the official appointed by Russia to the Crimean peninsula, Ukraine is behind the bridge incident.
Formerly spokesman for the Southern Military Command of Ukraine Natalia Humeniuk commented that the incident could be a provocation by Moscow.
“Creating such provocations, which the Crimean occupation authorities immediately report loudly, is a typical way of solving problems of the invading country and the Crimean authorities,” Humeniuk commented to the national broadcasting company on Monday.
How has the attack been reacted to?
The Russian Anti-Terrorism Committee claimed that Ukraine had targeted the bridge with a terrorist attack. It also said that it had launched a criminal investigation into the incident.
Humeniuk, the spokesman for Ukraine’s southern military command, on the other hand claimed the incident as a provocation by Moscow.
The attacks have spawned strong statements and demands for countermeasures.
Former President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev commented on Monday that Russia should destroy the top leadership of “terrorist groups” over the alleged attacks.
Leader of the Just Russia party Sergei Mironov in turn demanded that Russia respond to the attacks by destroying Ukraine’s infrastructure. Mironov also showed his support for Russia’s withdrawal About the Black Sea Grain Agreement, which expired today, Monday, July 17.
“There can be no grain agreement after another terrorist attack,” he said on the Telegram instant messaging service.
Spokesman of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maria Zakharova accused not only the Ukrainian regime but also Britain and the United States of participating in the attack.
He commented that the United States and Great Britain participate directly in decision-making in Ukraine.
“The United States and Britain are responsible for the terrorist state structure,” he stated.
The Kremlin also sidestepped the issue by mentioning that it is aware of how close the cooperation between Kiev, the European centers and NATO is.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media that Moscow plans to take steps to prevent something like this from happening again.
Also the president of Russia Vladimir Putin is said to have already given an order to organize the repair of the bridge.
Story edited on 17.7. 4:34 p.m.: Removed mention of the ferry connection on the bridge. There is no ferry on the bridge.
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