On Saturday, Moscow stated that a vehicle explosion started a massive fire and severely damaged the important Kerch bridge, which was designed as Russia’s only land route to occupied Crimea, and vowed to uncover the criminals without immediately blaming Ukraine.
According to Russia, the explosion set fire to seven oil tankers delivered by train and destroyed two automobile lanes of the massive road and rail system. Social media footage showed the bridge on fire and portions of it falling into the river. The bridge, which President Vladimir Putin personally inaugurated in 2018, is a critical transportation link for Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine.
It is vital to the Kremlin, and despite the fighting, Moscow insisted that the bridge passage was safe. Mykhailo Podolyak, Ukraine’s presidential advisor, earlier took to Twitter to upload a photo of a long piece of the bridge that was half-submerged. He wrote, “Crimea, the bridge, the beginning.” “Everything unlawful must be destroyed, everything stolen must be restored to Ukraine, and everything under Russian occupation must be ejected.”
The Ukrainian Postal Service revealed plans to create stamps depicting the “Crimean bridge – or, more precisely, what remains of it.” According to Russian news outlets, the Kremlin spokesman claimed Putin has authorized the formation of a commission to investigate the blast. The powerful Investigative Committee of Russia launched a criminal investigation into the incident and dispatched detectives to the scene.
According to the report, a truck detonated “on the automobile portion of the Crimean bridge from the side of the Taman Peninsula.” This “caused seven fuel tanks on a train bound for the Crimean Peninsula to catch fire As a result, two lanes were largely destroyed “. Moscow officials refrained from criticizing Kyiv.
However, an official in Russian-occupied Crimea blamed “Ukrainian vandals.” Another source in the neighboring Kherson region estimated that repairs would take “two months.” In addition, a spokeswoman for Russia’s foreign ministry stated that Kyiv’s reaction to the explosions demonstrated its “terrorist nature.”
Oleg Morozov Statement
“There is an open terrorist war against us,” Russian ruling party deputy Oleg Morozov told RIA Novosti. “If we remain silent and do not respond adequately, such attacks will spread,” he stated. Several explosions have occurred at Russian military locations on the Crimean peninsula.
If it is determined that Ukraine was responsible for the recent blast, the bridge’s proximity to the combat lines may raise concerns. The explosions follow Ukraine’s recent lightning territorial advances in the east and south, which have called into question the Kremlin’s assertion that it seized Donetsk, neighboring Lugansk, and the southern Zaporizhzhia and Kherson provinces.
Sergei Aksyonov, the peninsula’s Moscow-installed leader, urged Crimeans to be “cool” as authorities sought to downplay the explosions. “I appeal to everyone to remain silent and refrain from spreading false information,” he wrote on Telegram. “The situation is under control, and professionals are on the ground.”
He stated that rail connections to Russia had been blocked and that authorities had set up food and heating stations to assist delayed drivers. Authorities also attempted to assuage concerns about food and fuel shortages in Crimea, which has been completely reliant on the Russian mainland since Moscow annexed it in 2014. The Russian transport ministry announced the commencement of a ferry service. According to the energy ministry, the peninsula is fully supplied with fuel.
The explosions occurred the day after President Vladimir Putin’s 70th birthday. Russian soldiers claimed to have gained territory in Donetsk, east Ukraine, on Friday, their first claim of new victories since a Kyiv counter-offensive shook Moscow’s military effort. Separatist forces in the war-torn Donetsk area claimed to retake a string of villages near the Ukraine-controlled industrial town of Bakhmut, which has been shelled by Russia for weeks.
Donetsk region update
The Donetsk region, which has been largely controlled for years by Kremlin-backed rebels, is a crucial prize for Russian forces, which sent troops to Ukraine in February. However, Kyiv’s forces have been pushing back against Russian soldiers throughout the battle lines in the south and east, including areas of Donetsk, in recent weeks.
Late Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that his forces had reclaimed nearly 2,500 square kilometers (965 square miles) in the counter-offensive that began late last month. Zelensky has pressed for additional sanctions against Russia, encouraging Brussels to increase pressure on its energy industry just a day after the EU placed new penalties on Moscow.
Putin has made veiled threats to use nuclear weapons in the seven months since Russia’s offensive. US Vice President Joe Biden warned on Thursday that the world was on the verge of “Armageddon” if Putin used his nuclear arsenal. However, on Friday, the White House toned down the anxiety, claiming that the president’s remarks did not reflect new intelligence.
Continue to read more latest news
288 total views, 3 views today