Truck bomb blows up only bridge connecting Crimea to Russia
A suicide attack using a truck bomb blew up portions of the bridge connecting the Crimean Peninsula to Russia on Saturday. Three persons were killed in the attack, said Russian authorities. The speaker of the Crimean parliament, which is backed by Russia, blamed Ukraine for the attack. Ukraine's defense ministry and the president's advisor tweeted out celebrating the blast calling it a positive restoration.
Why does this story matter?
Russia had annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and both countries are warring since February. Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to accept Crimea as part of Russia and to recognize the independence of separatist-controlled east Ukraine. Initially Russia succeeded in invading Ukraine's territory, but following Ukraine's successful counter-offensive action over the last few weeks, Russia lost ground, forcing its troops to retreat.
Ukraine's defense ministry taunted Russia after the blast
The collapse is termed as a huge blow to Russia
Railway cars carrying fuel caught fire
The bombing came a day after Putin's 70th birthday. The blast spread to the adjacent railway bridge engulfing seven railway cars transporting fuel. Two sections of the bridge collapsed, said Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee. A man and a woman in a car across the bridge died in the explosion and their bodies were recovered. No details were furnished about the third victim.
One of two links of bridge still intact
Russia's energy ministry said Crimea had sufficient fuel to last 15 days and it was working on ways to reestablish supply. While rail and road traffic was suspended in Crimea, the authorities are working on launching ferry services across the Kerch Strait. Only one of the two links of the automobile bridge has collapsed while the other remains intact.
Russia will now struggle to ferry supplies to Crimea
Longest bridge in Europe
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly threatened to take the bridge down. Spanning 19 kilometer across the Kerch Strait, it is the longest bridge in Europe and links the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea. Inaugurated in 2018, the project cost $3.6 billion for Moscow to lay claim to Crimea. The bridge is crucial for Russia to sustain its offensive in southern Ukraine.
