Ukraine military intelligence behind Crimea bridge attack: FSB
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The Main Intelligence Directorate in the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, including its head Kyrylo Budanov, employees, and agents are named as the accomplices.
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Agent of the Russian Federal Security Service - FSB.
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Wednesday that the terrorist attack carried out on the Crimean bridge was organized by the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense.
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The FSB released a statement saying that "it has been established that the organizer of the terrorist attack on the Crimean bridge was the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, its head Kyrylo Budanov, employees and agents."
According to the Federal Security Service, the explosive device that was used in the attack was shipped in early august from the Odessa seaport through Bulgaria's Ruse and Georgian Poti port and then to Armenia, while hidden in rolls with a construction polyethylene film.
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The statement also announced that 8 accomplices have been arrested as part of the investigation, including Russian, Armenian and Ukrainian citizens, adding that 3 Ukrainian nationals, one Armenian, and 2 Georgians took part in arranging the transport of the explosive device. "So far, five Russian nationals, as well as three Ukrainians and Armenians who took part in preparations for the attack have been arrested as part of a criminal case," the FSB stated, adding that 5 Russians, along with 1 Ukrainian, were behind creating documents to facilitate the delivery of the explosives to a fake Crimean company.
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It's noteworthy that after the attack on the Crimean bridge, Vladimir Konstantinov, head of the Crimean Parliament, said, "Ukrainian vandals managed to reach the Crimean Bridge with their bloody hands. They now have something to be proud of: for 23 years of their management, they failed to build anything worthy of attention in Crimea, but they managed to damage the canvas of the Russian bridge."
On October 8, Russia’s State Duma stated, "The terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge is no longer just a challenge, but a declaration of war without rules,” while Deputy Oleg Morozov said the explosion was “a blatant terrorist war ... waged against us," adding that "if we keep silent in response and do not give an adequate response, such terrorist attacks will multiply.”
This statement comes following a tweet posted by the political advisor to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Mykhailo Podolyak, on the day of the incident, calling the blasting of the Crimea Bridge as just "the beginning".
