Russia partially opens the traffic on the Crimean Bridge.
Following an attack on the Kerch Bridge, the Russian government announced that the bridge connecting Russia to the occupied Crimean Peninsula partially reopened to traffic on Tuesday. Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin reported that vehicles were using a single lane of the bridge, with full motor traffic expected to resume on both lanes by November 1. The Transport Ministry confirmed that the bridge’s supports were undamaged despite the attack that caused damage to the span.
Russian media reported that two Ukrainian surface drones were responsible for the attack, resulting in the death of two adults and the injury of a child. Russia’s Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case on charges of a terror attack. President Vladimir Putin condemned the attack, attributing it to the “Kiev regime” and stating that it had no military significance since the bridge had not been used for military purposes for some time.
Ukraine has yet to respond to the Russian allegations. The Kerch bridge, which opened in 2018, serves as a crucial link for road and rail travel between Russia and Crimea. This attack occurred about 10 months after an explosion on the bridge in October 2022 disrupted transportation between Russia and the annexed Crimean Peninsula. The previous blast had implications for Russia’s military operations in Ukraine and was seen as a psychological blow for Moscow and a propaganda victory for Kiev. The incident took place on the day following Putin’s 70th birthday.
