Massive explosion destroys only bridge linking Crimea to Russia

The blast has been hailed as a 'beginning' by one senior Ukrainian figure

The only bridge linking Russia to the occupied Crimean peninsula has been severely damaged and engulfed in flames following a massive lorry explosion. The bridge, which was opened by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018, links the Russian-occupied Ukrainian peninsula Crimea with mainland Russia via the Kerch Strait. At 12 miles, it is the longest bridge in Europe and is seen as a symbol of the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 as a way of the Kremlin showing that Russia and Crimea are joined forever. Footage shared on Twitter shows flames engulfing the bridge, with some parts having collapsed into the water. https://twitter.com/igorsushko/status/1578606253588504577

One of President Zelensky advisers, Mykhailo Podolyak, called the damage a "beginning" - but did not directly claim Ukrainian responsibility.

"Everything illegal must be destroyed, everything stolen must be returned to Ukraine, everything occupied by Russia must be expelled," he tweeted.

Kerch bridge is thought to be a key target for Ukrainian forces in their attacks on Russian logistical chains. https://twitter.com/Podolyak_M/status/1578628414197485569 Meanwhile the official Twitter account of the Ukraine government responded to the fire by simply tweeting: "Sick burn." https://twitter.com/Ukraine/status/1578634825417650176

Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC) said: "At 06:07 Moscow time today [03:07 GMT], an explosion was set off at a cargo vehicle on the motorway part of the Crimean bridge on the side of the Taman peninsula, which set fire to seven fuel tanks of a train that was en route to the Crimean peninsula.

"Two motorway sections of the bridge partially collapsed."

The BBC reports that Crimean parliamentary speaker Vladimir Kontantinov blamed the explosion on "Ukrainian vandals, who have finally managed to reach their bloody hands to the Crimean bridge".