Crimean bridge: Explosion is ‘the beginning’, says Zelensky adviser

A large fire on the only crossing between the occupied Crimean peninsula and Russia was caused by a lorry explosion, Russian officials say.

A blast on the road section led to oil tankers on the rail section catching fire, before the road collapsed.

Crimea was annexed in 2014 by Russia, which now uses the bridge to move military equipment into Ukraine.

The official Twitter account of the Ukraine government responded to the fire by tweeting: “Sick burn.”

An adviser to Ukraine’s President Zelensky, Mykhailo Podolyak, called the damage a “beginning” – but did not directly claim Ukrainian responsibility.

Meanwhile, the Ukraine defence ministry compared the bridge explosion to the sinking of Russia’s Moskva missile cruiser in April.

“Two notorious symbols of Russian power in Ukrainian Crimea have gone down,” it tweeted. “What’s next in line?”

It is hard to exaggerate the significance, and symbolism, of seeing the bridge on fire. Opened by President Putin in 2018, it was meant to symbolise that Crimea was Russian.

Russia has used the bridge to move military equipment, ammunition, and personnel from Russia to battlefields in southern Ukraine.

As such, Ukrainian authorities said it was a legitimate target, as they vow to retake the peninsula.

Any attack on Crimea, where the Russian army has a massive presence, will be seen as another massive humiliation for the Kremlin.

The bridge is particularly hated by Ukrainians. Social media in Ukraine erupted in celebration on seeing the fire – one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin turned 70.

Agencies