Russia has announced an “interstate search” for Georgian citizen Aleksandre Inasaridze and Ukrainian citizen Sergi Andreychenko, accusing them of involvement in the explosion of the Crimean Bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge. The announcement was made on Monday by Russia’s state news agency TASS.
The explosion, which occurred on October 8, 2022, came seven months after Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine. The blast caused casualties and significant damage to the bridge, a key link between Russia and the annexed Crimea. Three people were killed, according to Russian authorities, and the incident resulted in the destruction of the road section and a major fire on the railway part.
Russia’s Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case against Inasaridze and Andreychenko, charging them with terrorist acts and the purchase and smuggling of explosives by an organized group. Moscow’s Basmanny District Court sentenced Inasaridze to imprisonment in absentia in March 2024.
Shortly after the explosion, Russia’s Federal Security Service reported it had detained five Russian citizens and three others from Ukraine and Armenia in connection with what it termed “organized terrorism” by Ukrainian military intelligence.
The FSB also identified additional suspects, including two Georgian citizens. At the time, Inasaridze was mentioned as “Sandro Inosaridze” in Russian official statements, and the other Georgian was referred to as a broker named Levani.
Georgian authorities have consistently denied any connection to the explosion. Following the incident, Georgian officials dismissed Russia’s allegations as baseless, while Inasaridze’s mother reportedly described the claims as “nonsense.” The truck involved in the explosion was linked to her.
Ukraine officially acknowledged its responsibility for organizing the attack on the Crimean Bridge in July 2023. The bridge, constructed by Russia after the annexation of Crimea in 2014, has been a strategically important and symbolic structure for Moscow throughout the ongoing conflict.
