Russo, suspect arrested in Crime Bridge explosion... "Explosives originated from Ukraine"

On the 8th (local time), a fire caused by an explosion occurred on the Crimean Bridge connecting the Crimean Peninsula and mainland Russia. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] Russia arrested eight suspects involved in the explosion incident on the Kerch Bridge, which connects the Crimean Peninsula and the Russian mainland, that occurred on the 8th (local time).

On the 12th, Russian news agency Interfax reported that the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested a total of eight suspects, including five Russians, Ukrainians, and Armenians, in connection with the Kerch Bridge explosion. The FSB also stated that the explosion was organized by the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence and its chief, Kyrylo Budanov.

According to the FSB investigation, the explosives departed from the southern Ukrainian port of Odesa in early August, passed through Bulgaria and Georgia, then traveled overland through Armenia before being brought into Russia on the 4th. They arrived at the final stop in Krasnodar, southern Russia, on the 6th. The FSB claimed that the entire transportation process was organized and coordinated by Ukrainian secret agents. The explosives were disguised as 22 rolls of construction plastic film weighing approximately 22,000 kg.

After occupying the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, Russia began constructing the Kerch Bridge across the Kerch Strait to directly connect the Russian mainland and Crimea. At the road bridge opening ceremony in 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin even drove a truck across the bridge as part of the event.

However, on the 8th, a powerful explosion occurred on the road bridge, causing a fire that spread to a tanker truck loaded on a freight train passing over the railway bridge, resulting in a large fire. Three people died, and part of the road bridge collapsed. The railway bridge structure was also partially damaged.

On the 10th (local time), Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, attended a meeting of the Russian Security Council held via video conference. He acknowledged that Russia was behind the missile attacks on several cities, including Kyiv, Ukraine, stating that these were retaliations for the attack on the Crimean Bridge (Kerch Strait Bridge) that occurred the previous day.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

In response, Russia pointed to Ukraine as the mastermind behind the explosion and launched large-scale retaliatory airstrikes across Ukraine, including Kyiv, on the 10th. As a result, at least 20 people were reported dead and over 100 injured by the previous day, with major infrastructure such as power plants and water facilities heavily damaged.

Russian President Putin said, "The Kerch Bridge explosion was a terrorist act orchestrated by Ukrainian special forces," and warned, "If such incidents continue on our territory, Russia's response will be severe," thereby acknowledging that the airstrikes were carried out by Russia.

Ukraine has never officially admitted responsibility for the incident but vowed that "this is only the beginning," pledging to continue attacks against Russia following this event.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.