[News] Ukraine war: Russia says Crimean bridge partially open to cars again

BirSaNN · July 18, 2023

The bridge linking Russia to Crimea has partially reopened a day after it was attacked, the Russian government says.

Vehicles were using a single lane of the bridge across the Kerch Strait, an official said, posting clips.

A holidaymaking couple were killed and their daughter injured in the attack on the bridge which Russia blamed on seaborne drones launched by Ukraine.

Russia refused to extend a deal to export grain from Ukrainian ports but denied this was retaliation.

Condemning the attack on the bridge as an act of terrorism against a critically important transport link, Russian President Vladimir Putin did however vow that the Russian military would respond.

Following that condemnation, Ukraine was attacked by a wave of Russian missiles overnight - including at the port of Odesa, with missile debris causing damage to the port and private homes, according to the state administration.

Russia's defence ministry said it was a "revenge strike" and claimed the missiles hit where Ukrainians had allegedly planned the Kerch Bridge attack, according to Russian news agency Interfax. That claim has not been verified.

Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin earlier posted video on the Crimea Bridge which appeared to show cars crossing it at night. He said he hoped two-way traffic could be restored by mid-September.

Russia's transport ministry says the bridge's supports were not damaged in the attack, which ruptured the span.

The Kerch Bridge was opened in 2018 and enables road and rail travel between Russia and Crimea - Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia in 2014 after an internationally unrecognised referendum.

The bridge's parallel railway line seems not to have been damaged.

Ukraine has not officially said it carried out the attack but a source in its security service told BBC Russian it was behind it and that water-based drones had been used.

As yet, the BBC not seen any visual evidence to confirm the reports.

The bridge is an important resupply route for Russian forces occupying parts of southern Ukraine since they invaded on 24 February of last year.