The Kerch bridge connecting Russia and Crimea was destroyed in a bomb blast that struck a fuel train, causing the partial collapse of the sole road link connecting the Russian mainland to the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed in 2014. Three people were killed in the blast, Russian authorities said.
According to Russia’s National Antiterrorism Committee, a vehicle explosion on the bridge’s highway ignited seven fuel tanks on the train as it crossed the Kerch Strait Bridge early Saturday. According to the statement, the bridge is closed to traffic due to the partial collapse of two portions of the road bridge running beside the railway.
So yet, it’s unknown what triggered the explosion, and no one has taken responsibility. A social media video of the situation showed the train on fire and a portion of the road bridge collapsing into the water.
The bridge, built on the directives of Russian President Vladimir Putin and opened in 2018, served as a vital transportation connection for transferring military supplies to Russian forces serving in Ukraine, notably in the south. The longest bridge in Europe spans the 19-kilometer Kerch Strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
The $3.6 billion project is a concrete reminder of Moscow’s claims on Crimea, as well as an important link to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Despite the war in Ukraine, Russia insisted the bridge was safe and threatened Kyiv with retaliation if it was targeted.
Until further notice, authorities have halted passenger train movement across the bridge. Putin was notified of the incident and directed the formation of a government team to handle the situation. The speaker of Crimea’s Kremlin-backed regional parliament blamed Ukraine for the explosion but promised that the bridge will be restored as soon as possible.