Crimean Bridge 'emergency incident' leaves two dead, suspends traffic
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The leader of Crimea announces that an operational headquarters was established to coordinate the work of agencies investigating the incident.
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The Crimean Bridge also known as the Kerch Strait Bridge in an aerial photo (social media)
Two people were killed and a child was injured in an "emergency" incident that took place on the Crimean Bridge early Monday while traffic was halted awaiting damage repairs.
The head of the Republic of Crimea accused on his Telegram page the "terrorist regime" in Kiev of being behind the event, which authorities called an "emergency incident" after explosions were heard in the morning.
Citizens were urged to use alternative land routes while the incident is resolved.
"In connection with the closure of traffic on the Crimean Bridge, drivers can travel along the land road route in new regions," the Russian transport ministry said on Monday.
An operational headquarters was established to manage and coordinate the work of agencies responding to the emergency, local authorities said, adding that all basic necessities are available in Crimea.
Read more: Russian Air Defense Systems intercept cruise missile in Kerch, Crimea
The transport ministry denied media claims of structural damage to the bridge, and assured that the main supporting structure was not harmed.
"From the side of the Republic of Crimea, there is damage to the roadway on the spans of the Crimean bridge," the ministry stated, adding that the "structures of the spans themselves are on their supports."
As a result of the incident, two people were killed while a little girl was injured, the Health Ministry of Russia’s Krasnodar Territory said in a statement.
"The preliminary diagnosis is a closed brain injury, the [child’s] condition is of moderate severity," the operational headquarters said in a statement citing the health ministry.
Read more: FSB thwarts assassination attempt on head of Crimea
The task force also confirmed that "medics in the region are preparing an air ambulance to provide all the necessary assistance."
Belgorod regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov declared that "if possible," the child "will immediately" be transported to his region for medical attention.
"I have just spoken with the First Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Andrey Aleksandrovich Kostyuk. The movement of railway transport will be resumed before 9:00. The train schedule will catch up," the head of the Crimean Republic said on Telegram.
He added that services tasked to investigate the incident will be reporting back on the causes later.
The incident comes just one week after Ukraine's Defense Minister Deputy confirmed Kiev's responsibility for last year's bombing that targeted the Crimean Bridge.
Although Ukrainian officials have previously not claimed responsibility for the bombing that killed four people and was deemed by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a terrorist attack, they have hinted at it.
On Telegram, Deputy Maliar Hanna Maliar said that the Bridge, also known as the Kerch Strait Bridge, was bombed to obstruct Russia's supply lines.
Russian forces continue operations
A Ukrainian military unit that attempted to carry out an attack in the Zaporozhye direction was destroyed by Russian "Vostok" Group of Forces, a spokesperson for the Russian Defense Ministry told Sputnik.
"In the Zaporizhzhia direction, the enemy made attempts to attack our positions with small groups of infantry… All groups have been destroyed," the spokesperson said, adding that "Vostok" has been consistently targeting Ukrainian forces and have recently destroyed a pickup truck with two servicemembers and two mortar units.
Read more: Ru. Defense: Kiev loses 800 Soldiers, 20 tanks in Donetsk, Zaporozhye
The spokesperson revealed to the news agency that Russian drones uncovered Ukrainian military gatherings in Novodarivka, which were then targeted and destroyed by artillery strikes.
A command and observation site for Ukraine's armed forces was also destroyed by Russian strikes in the south Donetsk direction, thwarting an attack that was being planned.
