eA violent explosion on the Crimean bridge, which is important for Russia, has raised international fears of further escalation of the conflict. But Moscow failed to provide a quick and clear answer, at least on Saturday. The Ukrainian leadership, for its part, is gloating without officially taking responsibility for the alleged attack. Traffic over the bridge resumed to a limited extent in the evening.
Zelensky leaves Ukraine’s involvement in the explosion
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not reveal his country’s involvement in the Crimean Bridge explosion. In Ukraine, it was mostly sunny and warm, “unfortunately cloudy in Crimea, although it is also warm there,” he said in his daily video address, referring to the morning explosion on the bridge. He did not go into details of the incident. Then he asked the Russians again to surrender and flee. This is her best choice for survival. There will be a future without occupiers in Ukraine. „All over our territory, especially in the Crimea,” he said.
Source: Infographic World
The Crimean Bridge, strategically important and a symbol of Russia, was shaken by a violent explosion early Saturday morning. The videos show great devastation. The exact background is still unclear. According to Russian sources, a truck exploded. As a result, according to Russian investigators, seven diesel tank vehicles caught fire at a greater distance. In addition, parts of the bridge’s highway fell into the sea. At least three people were said to have been killed.
An explosion on the Crimean bridge – „Guess the air war will now increase”
The 19-kilometer bridge from the Russian mainland to Ukraine’s Crimea, annexed by Moscow, is an important bottleneck for Russia – it is now partially destroyed. „It’s a big blow,” says military expert Wolfgang Richter.
Prior to Zelensky, several high-ranking politicians from the Ukrainian president’s circle had already raised speculation that Kyiv was involved in the crime. Ukrainian Security Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov posted footage of the partially destroyed structure linking Russia and Crimea in the Black Sea, which Moscow annexed in 2014, on Facebook on Saturday.
Next to Post a videowhich shows Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe (1926 – 1962) singing the Christmas song „Happy Birthday, Mr. President” to then-US President John F. Kennedy in 1962. Russian President Vladimir Putin celebrated his 70th birthday on Friday.
Adviser to the Presidential Office, Mikhailo Podolak, initially tweeted: „Everything illegal must be destroyed, everything stolen must be returned to Ukraine.” He portrayed the attack as a competition between the Russian army and the FSB intelligence, in which the FSB was trying to replace the command of the army, and was suddenly brought down because it had fallen asleep on the bridge. „Isn’t it clear who caused the explosion?” He was practicing conspiracy theories.
Putin orders the intelligence service to tighten control of the Crimean bridge
Officially, the FSB was not at all responsible. So far, the mission has been shared between the Ministry of Defense, the National Guard, and the Ministry of Transportation. Only after the explosion, Putin ordered the secret service by decree to tighten control over the damaged Crimean bridge. „The FSB will be given powers to organize and coordinate preventive actions for the transport route through the Kerch Strait, for the energy bridge from the Russian Federation to the Crimea and the gas pipeline from the Krasnodar Territory to the Crimea,” the decree said.
This is the first measure taken by the Kremlin after the alleged explosion linked to the attack in the morning. However, the Russian president does not want to comment publicly. According to official information, Putin will not speak with the Russians in the next few days either. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday that such an appearance was not planned. Political observers considered the president’s speech likely in light of the extensive damage caused to the bridge. In the past, Moscow had threatened Kyiv with dire consequences in the event of an attempt to attack the body.
What will be important on Sunday
Russian divers on Sunday studied the damage caused by a powerful explosion on the road and railway bridge leading to Crimea. Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khosnolin was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying that divers will start work at 06:00 AM (local time; 05:00 CEST). A more detailed survey above the waterline is expected to be completed by the end of the day. If the first results are indeed available on Sunday, there could also be an official – and possibly military – reaction from Moscow. More intense fighting is expected at the front in southern and eastern Ukraine.
