
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that the explosion on a key bridge linking Crimea and the Russian mainland was a terrorist act planned by the Ukrainian special services.
- “There is no doubt. This is an act of terrorism aimed at destroying critically important civilian infrastructure,” Putin said in a video on the Kremlin’s Telegram channel, according to Reuters.
- “This was devised, carried out and ordered by the Ukrainian special services,” he added.
Putin made the comments during a meeting with Alexander Bastrykin, the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, who was presenting findings of an inquiry into Saturday’s explosion and fire on the bridge.
Three people were killed in the incident, with parts of the bridge igniting in flames and others completely destroyed. Half the bridge collapsed following the attack, cascading into the water below.
The bridge is a tactical asset for Russia, ensuring it maintains a physical link to occupied Crimea, which Ukraine claims as its sovereign territory and has vowed to liberate from Russian forces.
Russia occupied and annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, in a move that was widely criticized internationally.
- Saturday’s blast may have been the first step in a Ukrainian military push towards Crimea, as its forces continue making progress against Russian troops in the south and east of the country.
Source: Arutz Sheva