Part of the Kerch bridge, which connects Russia with Crimea and serves to supply Russian troops, was damaged in an action celebrated by the Ukrainians and was considered ‘terrorism’ by the Russians.
The eruption this Saturday (8/10) of a bridge built by Russia to connect its territory to the Crimean peninsula and illegally occupied by the international community in 2014 is further straining the new phase of the war in Ukraine.
It is not yet clear what caused the Kerch Bridge incident, but it caused fuel tanks on the tracks to explode and part of the structure collapsed.
Built on the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the bridge is of great importance in terms of transporting Russian military equipment to its troops in Ukraine. According to a Kremlin spokesman, Putin has ordered an investigation into the explosion. Pro-Russian officials in Crimea said restoration work on the bridge could begin on Saturday.
BBC Russia editor Steve Rosenberg explains that the dramatic footage of the burning bridge is an embarrassing symbol for Moscow. Therefore, he explains, pro-Kremlin commentators have already urged the Russian government to react sharply against Kiev.
It’s still unclear how Putin will respond, but the Russian president is escalating the war by calling in reservists, annexing four Ukrainian territories and threatening to use its nuclear arsenal.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a recent interview with the BBC that Russia was “starting to prepare” for possible nuclear action.
A missile strike in the Zaporizhzhia region, also annexed by the Russians, caused a commotion Thursday that left at least 17 civilians dead – locals think they are being punished by Russian troops for Ukraine’s advance on some fronts. And they fear there may be more attacks on civilians in the coming days.
symbolic bridge
Steve Rosenberg explains that the Kerch Bridge is not only strategically important, but also a symbol of the annexation of Crimea and a way to show that the two regions are permanently united.
Image: EPA
When the bridge was put into service in 2018, the Russian state press described the work as the “construction of the century”, as it was the longest bridge in Europe with a length of 19 km.
Russian officials have stated several times that the bridge is well protected against threats from air, land or water.
At the same time, Russia lost the Ukrainian lands it had conquered, which could draw the Kremlin’s backlash.
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Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government celebrated the action against the bridge, although it did not demand direct action. Zelensky’s adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, said the episode was “just the beginning”.
“Crimea, the bridge, the beginning. Everything illegal must be destroyed, everything stolen must be returned to Ukraine, all Russian occupation must be deported,” said Podolyak.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Ukrainians’ praise of the incident confirms the “terrorist nature” of the incident.
blocked supply
BBC Ukraine correspondent Paul Adams explains that the bridge, the only link between Russia and Crimea, plays a vital role in Russian supply. Without this link, Moscow will have a hard time sending troops and equipment to repel the Ukrainian offensive in northern Kherson, one of the regions of Ukraine annexed by Russia.
Lawrence Freedman, a retired professor of war studies at King’s College London, told the BBC Russian troops would face great difficulties as the bridge was disabled.
“The Ukrainians not only targeted (Russian) lands and individuals, but also attacked logistics. (…) Kerch Bridge is an example of their (Russian) supply problems. Well armed and battle points, they will not. Freedman told BBC Radio 4 He said if they don’t get supplies, they can move forward.
The BBC’s Ukraine correspondent, Hugo Bachega, explains that Kiev has seen significant momentum in the war, seizing a significant amount of territory in the counterattack and forcing the Russian troops to abandon their positions for months.
The Kerch Bridge is particularly hated by Ukrainians as it symbolizes eight years of occupation.
Flames
According to the Russian Anti-Terrorism Committee, the fire on the bridge started at 6 am (local time) on Saturday in a truck. Then the flames spread to the fuel tanks and the tracks of the railway section of the bridge.
The cessation of road and rail traffic on the bridge caused long queues in the area.
Pro-Kremlin officials in Crimea said they would arrange a ferry route between the region and Russia and were trying to reassure locals that the peninsula was not at risk of shortages of goods.
“We have fuel for a whole month and there should be no increase in prices,” the head of the Crimean government, Sergei Aksyonov, said in a statement. Said. “We have two months of food. No risk.”
The head of the Crimean parliament, Vladimir Kontantinov, said that the explosion on the bridge was the work of “Ukrainian vandals”.
“They (Ukrainians) have not built anything important in the Crimea in the 23 years they were responsible for (the peninsula), but they managed to damage the Russian bridge. That is the essence of the Kyiv regime and the Ukrainian state. They do it,” he wrote to Telegram, and immediately because the damage was “not serious.” It will be repaired,” he added.
A former British Army expert told the BBC’s Paul Adams that the damage to the bridge appeared to be “a hidden masterpiece of sabotage”.
He said the act may have been carried out by Ukrainian special forces, provided his name was not disclosed.
“A well-planned attack from below (from the water) upwards seems to be the cause,” he said.
This text was originally published at https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-63184903.
source: Noticias
