Kyiv behind Crimea bridge attack – media

The attack on the Crimean bridge was a special operation of the Security Service of Ukraine and the military and naval forces, Ukrainian media cited the country’s security officials as saying on Monday.

Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for the Main Intelligence Division of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, told Ukrainian Public Broadcaster that the whole world was witnessing “a multi-kilometer traffic jam and the collapse of bridge structures,” but would not comment further on the reasons. According to Yusov, he could only quote the head of military intelligence, Kirill Budanov, that “the Crimean bridge is an unnecessary construction”.

The Russian occupation forces on Monday said traffic on the bridge had been suspended due to an “emergency incident”, without specifying reasons. Later it became known two people were killed and one injured. 

A powerful explosion occurred on the Crimean bridge On October 8, 2022, which caused the collapse of the road part of the bridge and a severe fire on the railway part. Ukraine did not officially recognise the connection with the explosion. 

The Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defence on July 8, 2023  wrote in a telegram that 273 days had passed since the first strike on the Crimean bridge, which was aimed at disrupting Russian logistics.

Ukraine and Russia agreed on the joint construction of a traffic passage on the Kerch Strait in 2013.

Russia annexed Crimea and built the bridge itself in 2014.

Russia opened the road part of the bridge in 2018, and in 2019 – the railway part.

During a full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, Russia used the Crimean bridge to supply its own troops.