Russia boosts security after blast on Crime Bridge

Russia has increased security on the only bridge that links it to the Ukrainian Crimea Peninsula, following the October 8th powerful explosion. As a result, several segments of the bridge have been destroyed. Russia annexed the Crime Peninsula in 2014.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Federal Security Service (FSB) to oversee the bridge. According to Russian investigators, three people died as a result of the explosion. Officials have said they have started work immediately to regulate damaged road segments.

Considered by Russian media as the “construction of the century”, the bridge is considered the key to carrying military equipment, ammunition and military equipment to the south of Ukraine, from the outbreak of war in this country at the end of February.

However, smoke and fire have been seen on Sunday's satellite images in the ruined areas of the bridge, which has opened with great enthusiasm four years after Moscow annexed Crime.

Since it plays a strategic role in war, Ukrainian authorities have said that the bridge is a legitimate target for them, and they have vowed to return control of the crime.

Ukrainian officials have signaled that they have approved the explosion, but have not confirmed that their forces have been behind the attack.

Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky mentioned the incident in his address late Saturday, saying that today's “was not a bad day, but mostly sunny day on our state territory”.

The “has unfortunately been clouded in Crime. But it's been hot there too”, he added.

The Moscow-appointed governor, Sergei Aksyonov, has said there is a desire for revenge, but has provided guarantees that the peninsula has oil and food reserves for more than a month.

The situation is manageable. It's not pleasant, but not fatal”, he said. / REL/