In the early hours of Monday morning, the Crimea Bridge, which connects the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula to Russia, was closed due to an emergency incident. Tragically, the incident resulted in the loss of two lives, a father and a mother, while their daughter sustained injuries. This bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, is the sole overland link directly connecting Russia to the occupied Crimea. Spanning 19 kilometres, it comprises separate road and railway segments, both supported by concrete stilts.
Apart from its significance for the transportation of fuel and food, the Crimea Bridge plays a strategically crucial role as a supply route for Russian soldiers following the invasion of Ukraine last year.
Image Source: Associated Press
The bridge had recently reopened in February after sustaining partial damage from a massive blast caused by a fuel tanker explosion in October 2022. However, Kyiv has refused to take responsibility for the explosion.
Officials Respond to the Incident
Official responses to the incident have been forthcoming. Sergey Aksyonov, the head of the Russian administration in Crimea, acknowledged the traffic halt on the Crimean bridge and confirmed the deaths of two individuals through his telegram channel. Aksyonov emphasized ongoing efforts to address the situation, urging residents and visitors of the peninsula to avoid using the Crimean Bridge for safety reasons and instead seek alternative land routes.
Russia’s Ministry of Transport has reported damage to the roadway near the Crimean side of the bridge. However, the ministry has not officially confirmed reports regarding potential damage to the bridge’s supporting pillars. According to Reuters, the widely followed Telegram channel, Russia’s Grey Zone, associated with the Wagner mercenary group, reported the Crimea Bridge endured two attacks at 03:04 a.m. (0004 GMT) and 03:20 a.m. The RBC-Ukraine news agency also noted hearing explosions on the bridge, although independent verification of these reports has not been possible.
Moscow and Ukraine Blame Each Other Over the Incident
The incident has sparked a blame game between Moscow and Ukraine. Vladimir Konstantinov, the head of Crimea’s parliament appointed by Russia, accused Ukraine of orchestrating the attack on the Crimea Bridge, labelling it a terrorist act carried out by Ukrainian authorities. In contrast, Natalia Humeniuk, the spokesperson for Ukraine’s southern military command, suggested that the incident might be a deliberate provocation by Moscow.
A photo shared on Serhiy Bratchuk’s Telegram account, the spokesperson for Ukraine’s Odesa military administration, displayed apparent damage to a section of the bridge. However, the nature and cause of this damage are yet to be established.
Ukraine has not yet issued an official response to the incident.
Unverified Claims on the Crimea Bridge Attack
Unverified claims regarding the attack on the Crimea Bridge have surfaced. According to a source within Ukraine’s intelligence service, the SBU, speaking to BBC, the attack was allegedly carried out by the Ukraine navy’s special forces and involved surface drones targeting the bridge. Although the operation encountered challenges, the source stated that the objective was ultimately accomplished. Ukrainian media have made similar claims, but independent verification by BBC is pending.
The emergency incident on the Crimea Bridge occurs at a crucial geopolitical juncture. The Black Sea Grain Initiative, a UN-brokered deal established in July 2022, allowing the export of grain from Ukrainian ports, is set to expire today. Moscow has not yet announced an extension of the deal, and uncertainty looms over its continuation in light of the bridge attack.
