Russian Intelligence Detains 8 Suspects Linked To Crimea Bridge Blast

Topline

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) Wednesday detained eight individuals it claims were “accomplices” in the weekend attack on the bridge connecting Russia with the annexed territory of Crimea, an incident which Russian President Vladimir Putin said was an “act of terrorism” by Ukraine.

Key Facts

The FSB said it has arrested five Russians, three Ukrainians and an Armenian national for taking part in the “preparations for the attack,” Russian news agency TASS reported.

The domestic intelligence agency claims it has identified 12 “accomplices” in total linked to the blast on the bridge.

The agency noted the explosives used to carry out the blast traveled from the Ukrainian port of Odesa to Armenia, via Bulgaria and Georgia, before finally being received by a Crimean shell entity.

In total, 22 tons of explosives were used to carry out the attack, the FSB said.

The FSB has blamed the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry and its head Kyrylo Budanov as the architects of the “terrorist attack” on the bridge.

News Peg

On Saturday, a large explosion destroyed a portion of the only bridge connecting Russia with the annexed territory of Crimea. A day later, Putin called the explosion an “act of terrorism” carried out by the Ukrainian special services using a truck-borne IED (improvised explosive device). The explosion on the road bridge coincided with the passage train carrying fuel on the adjacent rail bridge which also exploded and was engulfed in flames for several hours. While Ukraine has not officially claimed responsibility for the incident, an unnamed senior military official told the New York Times the attack was a “success,” implying Kyiv’s involvement.

Key Background

On Monday, Russia responded to the blast by carrying out a series of missile strikes across major Ukrainian cities including the capital Kyiv, killing 19 people and wounding more than 100. The attacks have drawn strong condemnation from both Kyiv and the West who have accused Russia of engaging in terrorism by targeting civilians. Putin—egged on by his allies—has threatened to carry out more such strikes but the feasibility of such an approach has been questioned due to Russia’s thinning supplies of precision-guided munitions.

Tangent

Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, currently under Russian occupation, has lost all external power for the second time in the past five days, the International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi said on Tuesday. The plant’s systems are running on backup diesel generators but the Ukrainian state-run Energoatom says Russian forces are preventing it from delivering more diesel to the site. The plant’s safety and security systems need uninterrupted power supply to remain operational.

Further Reading

Putin Allies Demand More Attacks On Ukraine—But Russia May Not Have Enough Missiles (Forbes)