What is known about the explosion
Russia accuses Ukraine of a “terrorist attack” and Kiev remains silent – after the explosion on the Crimean bridge, many details are still unclear. Here is what is known so far.
What happened?
In the early hours of Monday, there was at least one explosion on the 19-kilometer-long bridge connecting mainland Russia with the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula. A Telegram channel associated with the Wagner mercenary group reported two attacks – one at 3:04 am and another at 3:20 am.
According to the governor of the Russian region of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, two people were killed in the incident. He stated in a video message that the victims were a married couple and their 14-year-old daughter had been injured and taken to a hospital. The family was reportedly on their way to a vacation.
Car and train traffic were initially suspended, and ferry services were also suspended. The railway traffic has since been resumed. A train from the Crimean capital of Simferopol departed with a five-hour delay towards the southern Russian region of Krasnodar, according to the Crimean authorities.
What is known about the background?
No one has claimed responsibility thus far. The parliamentary leader of Crimea, which has been annexed by Russia since 2014, blamed Ukraine. “Tonight, the terrorist regime of Kiev committed a new crime and attacked the Crimean bridge,” he wrote in his Telegram channel. The Russian Anti-Terror Committee believes that Ukraine attacked the bridge using overwater drones.
The Kremlin also accuses Kiev: “We know the reasons and those responsible for the terrorist attack,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to Russian news agencies. “All of this is the work of the Kiev regime.”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also spoke of alleged British and American complicity: “The attack on the Crimean bridge today was carried out by the regime in Kiev. This regime is a terrorist one and exhibits all the characteristics of an internationally organized criminal gang,” Zakharova said. “Ukrainian politicians and the military make decisions with direct help from American and British intelligence services and politicians.”
There are indications that the Ukrainian domestic intelligence agency SBU may be behind it, according to Vassili Golod, an ARD correspondent in Kiev. The SBU did not deny involvement when asked by ARD. They stated that all information about the intelligence agency’s operations would only be released after Ukraine’s victory. In an initial response, the agency simply stated, “Once again, the bridge ‘goes to sleep.’ And one… two!”
Kiev media reports suggest that the SBU may have collaborated with the navy. They cite insider information indicating the use of drones.
What significance does the Crimean bridge have?
The so-called Crimean bridge actually consists of two 19-kilometer-long bridges – one for trains and one for cars. They are the only bridges connecting mainland Russia, the Krasnodar region, with the Russian-occupied Crimea. Both bridges pass over the Kerch Strait, the connection between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
The bridge was inaugurated by President Vladimir Putin just over five years ago. It is considered a prestigious project of great symbolic importance in Russia, intended to solidify Russia’s claim to the Ukrainian peninsula.
However, the Crimean bridge also has high strategic value. “Crimea is a central strategic military base for Russia, which is crucial for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,” says ARD correspondent Golod. “Anything that restricts the supply, much of which runs through the bridge, is advantageous for Ukraine.”
What are the implications for Russian holidaymakers in Crimea?
The Crimean Peninsula is very popular among Russian holidaymakers. According to the state news agency RIA Novosti, around 50,000 people are currently vacationing there during the peak season, many of whom have arrived by car. Russian authorities advised tourists to return home by traveling through the Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine. Russian state television showed a map of the approximately 400-kilometer route, which passes through the occupied southern Ukrainian city of Melitopol to the mostly destroyed port city of Mariupol and ends in the southern Russian city of Rostov. Some regions along the route are affected by ongoing conflicts.
Travelers should bring their passports. “Security is guaranteed by the Russian army” and will be reinforced, said Vladimir Saldo, the governor of the Kherson region appointed by Moscow. He stated that he had minimized the curfews to allow for transit traffic. However, Saldo warned that there are checkpoints to prevent “sabotage.”
Are there parallels to the explosion in October 2022?
This is not the first time that the Crimean bridge has been targeted. In October 2022, the structure was heavily damaged by an explosion. Several people were killed, a section of the roadway collapsed into the sea, and a truck exploded. The traffic over the bridge was severely restricted for months, and it was not until February 2023 that all lanes were reopened.
Immediately after the attack, Russia accused Ukraine. However, it was only in May that the head of the Ukrainian intelligence service, Vasyl Maliuk, confirmed Ukraine’s involvement in the explosion on the Crimean bridge.
Is the attack the cause of the suspension of the grain agreement?
The Kremlin allowed the agreement for the export of grain from Ukraine via the Black Sea to expire just a few hours after the incident. According to the Russian presidential administration, there is no connection to the explosions on the Crimean peninsula.
“These are two unrelated events,” said Kremlin spokesman Peskov. The agreement was not extended because the part concerning Russia was not implemented. Russia will participate again once the agreements are fulfilled.