On Saturday, a key bridge linking the Crimean peninsula with mainland Russia has been partially destroyed in a truck explosion, in what Russia’s State Duma called “an act of war.”
“According to preliminary information, this morning on the automobile part of the Crimean bridge from the side of the Taman Peninsula, a truck was blown up, which caused seven fuel tanks to ignite on a train heading towards the Crimea peninsula, as a result, two lanes partially collapsed.”
– Russia’s State Duma
The speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament, the Duma, launched a criminal investigation into the incident, calling it “an act of war.”
There are three reported casualties so far, believed to be passengers of a car in close proximity to the truck explosion, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee.
In 2018, the Kerch bridge was completed following the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. It has served as a vital part of the supply line on the southern front.
Ukrainian officials celebrated the incident, which occurred one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 70th birthday, but did not claim responsibility.
