This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-63183404
The article has changed 17 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Crimean bridge fire: Blaze erupts on only bridge linking peninsula to Russia | Crimean bridge fire: Blaze erupts on only bridge linking peninsula to Russia |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Watch: Fire and smoke seen on Crimean bridge after explosion reported | Watch: Fire and smoke seen on Crimean bridge after explosion reported |
| Watch: Fire and smoke seen on Crimean bridge after explosion reported | Watch: Fire and smoke seen on Crimean bridge after explosion reported |
| A large fire on the only crossing between the occupied Crimean peninsula and Russia was caused by a lorry explosion, Russian officials say. | |
| A blast on the road section led to oil tankers on the rail section catching fire, before the road collapsed. | |
| Crimea was annexed in 2014 by Russia, which now uses the Kerch bridge to move military equipment into Ukraine. | Crimea was annexed in 2014 by Russia, which now uses the Kerch bridge to move military equipment into Ukraine. |
| The official Twitter account of the Ukraine government responded to the fire by tweeting: "Sick burn." | The official Twitter account of the Ukraine government responded to the fire by tweeting: "Sick burn." |
| An adviser to Ukraine's President Zelensky, Mykhailo Podolyak, called the damage a "beginning" - but did not directly claim Ukrainian responsibility. | |
| "Everything illegal must be destroyed, everything stolen must be returned to Ukraine, everything occupied by Russia must be expelled," he tweeted. | |
| A still picture of the bridge was shared by Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak | A still picture of the bridge was shared by Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak |
| Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC) said: "At 06:07 Moscow time today [03:07 GMT], an explosion was set off at a cargo vehicle on the motorway part of the Crimean bridge on the side of the Taman peninsula, which set fire to seven fuel tanks of a train that was en route to the Crimean peninsula. | Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC) said: "At 06:07 Moscow time today [03:07 GMT], an explosion was set off at a cargo vehicle on the motorway part of the Crimean bridge on the side of the Taman peninsula, which set fire to seven fuel tanks of a train that was en route to the Crimean peninsula. |
| "Two motorway sections of the bridge partially collapsed." | "Two motorway sections of the bridge partially collapsed." |
| Crimean parliamentary speaker Vladimir Kontantinov blamed the explosion on "Ukrainian vandals, who have finally managed to reach their bloody hands to the Crimean bridge". | Crimean parliamentary speaker Vladimir Kontantinov blamed the explosion on "Ukrainian vandals, who have finally managed to reach their bloody hands to the Crimean bridge". |
| He added the damage to the bridge would be "promptly restored, since it is not of a serious nature". | He added the damage to the bridge would be "promptly restored, since it is not of a serious nature". |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin has been briefed about the "emergency" on the bridge and has ordered a government inquiry, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, in comments quoted by Interfax news agency. | Russian President Vladimir Putin has been briefed about the "emergency" on the bridge and has ordered a government inquiry, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, in comments quoted by Interfax news agency. |
| The $3.7bn (£2.7bn) bridge links southern Russia with the territory it annexed in 2014 (2018 report) | The $3.7bn (£2.7bn) bridge links southern Russia with the territory it annexed in 2014 (2018 report) |
| The $3.7bn (£2.7bn) bridge links southern Russia with the territory it annexed in 2014 (2018 report) | The $3.7bn (£2.7bn) bridge links southern Russia with the territory it annexed in 2014 (2018 report) |
| The 19km (12-mile) bridge across the Kerch Strait was opened by President Vladimir Putin in 2018, four years after Moscow illegally annexed Crimea. | The 19km (12-mile) bridge across the Kerch Strait was opened by President Vladimir Putin in 2018, four years after Moscow illegally annexed Crimea. |
| It is said to be a key target for Ukrainian forces who have been attacking Russian logistics. | It is said to be a key target for Ukrainian forces who have been attacking Russian logistics. |
| The crossing is more than 100 miles from Ukrainian-held territory. One explosives expert told the BBC said the fire was probably not caused by a missile. | The crossing is more than 100 miles from Ukrainian-held territory. One explosives expert told the BBC said the fire was probably not caused by a missile. |
| "The lack of obvious blast / fragmentation damage on the road surface suggests that an air-delivered weapon was not used," he said | "The lack of obvious blast / fragmentation damage on the road surface suggests that an air-delivered weapon was not used," he said |
| He said it was possible that "a well-planned attack from below may have been the cause". | He said it was possible that "a well-planned attack from below may have been the cause". |
| "I suspect explosives on the road bridge and train deck were initiated near simultaneously using coded radio command," he said. | "I suspect explosives on the road bridge and train deck were initiated near simultaneously using coded radio command," he said. |