Severe fire and destruction on Crimean bridge after explosions

According to Russian authorities, after several serious explosions on the Russian-occupied Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, a major fire broke out on the railway bridge. A fuel wagon was apparently on fire, according to pictures and photos circulating in Russian and Ukrainian media on Saturday. The roadway on the part of the road was therefore also massively damaged.

According to the authorities in Crimea, it was unclear what exactly happened. Traffic has stopped. The government in Simferopol announced that a ferry connection was being examined. According to initial findings, there were no injuries or deaths.

After the Russian attack on Ukraine at the end of February, there were multiple explosions in Crimea, causing severe damage, including at military bases. There have also been repeated threats in the capital Kyiv that the bridge between the peninsula and the Russian mainland, inaugurated by Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, will be fired upon. Most recently, in the Kerch region, which borders directly on the bridge in Crimea, there have been repeated incidents with drones exploding.

Russia had issued strong warnings against shelling the bridge - a key strategic structure - and threatened to target command centers in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv if it did. The Ukrainian leadership had repeatedly requested heavy, long-range weapons from the West. This should then also destroy the bridge, as it was said in Kyiv.