Tensions Mount As Kerch Bridge Attack Spurs Promise Of Retaliatory Strikes From Russian Defense Ministry

On Monday, a major bridge connecting Russia to the annexed Crimean Peninsula was struck by an explosion, resulting in the death of a couple and serious injury to their daughter, as reported by the Kremlin. The Kerch Bridge, a symbolically and strategically important infrastructure inaugurated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018, facilitates road and rail traffic from Russia to the Ukrainian peninsula that Moscow annexed in 2014.

According to Russian officials, the bridge was targeted by two Ukrainian "unmanned naval surface vehicles," causing severe damage to its road section. The Kremlin has opened an investigation into what it has labeled a "terrorist act," NBC News reports.

Ukrainian Involvement

While Russian officials have blamed Ukraine for the attack, Ukraine's public broadcaster Suspilne has cited anonymous law enforcement sources claiming that this was a special operation by Ukraine's SBU intelligence agency and its navy.

However, Ukraine’s military intelligence spokesperson, Andriy Yusov, declined to comment on Ukraine's involvement. He merely noted that "any logistical problems are additional complications for the occupiers" — referring to Russia.

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Previous Incidents and Repercussions

This is not the first time the Kerch Bridge has been targeted. In October, Russia accused Ukraine of another explosion that damaged the bridge, to which Ukraine only indirectly admitted months later. Following the recent attack, Russia's Grey Zone channel reported two strikes on the bridge. Vladimir Konstantinov, the speaker of the Russia-installed Crimean parliament, stated that the railroad section of the bridge, crucial for Russian military logistics, had not been damaged in the blasts.

As a response to the attack, the Russian Defense Ministry "has promised strikes against the centers where the criminal decisions are made." This incident comes amid reports of Russia sending ill-trained fighters and former convicts into Ukraine, jacked up on amphetamines, to fight regardless of the odds or the outcome.

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This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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