Russia-Ukraine war updates | Putin calls for tougher security at Crimea bridge after attack

President Vladimir Putin on Monday denounced a "terror attack" and called for tougher security measures after Kyiv targeted a bridge linking Moscow-annexed Crimea to Russia. "Another terrorist attack was committed on the bridge last night," Putin said in televised remarks. "I am waiting for specific proposals to improve the security of this strategic, important transport facility."

Belarus on Monday said that it shot a Ukrainian drone down on the border between the two countries, days after Minsk confirmed the arrival of Russian Wagner fighters on its territory.

"A border security unit on duty on the Dnipro River discovered a drone that had violated the state border from Ukrainian territory," The Belarusian border committee said, according to AFP news agency.

"The drone was used for the reconnaissance of the border area of the Republic of Belarus."

It said the drone was intercepted in the Braginsky area in the south-eastern corner of Belarus, where the Dnipro River flows near the border between the two neighbours.

UN secretary-general António Guterres on Monday hined that Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea grain deal could impact a related pact between the UN and Moscow to help facilitate Russia’s grain and fertiliser exports was also terminated, Reuters nws agency reported.

"Today’s decision by the Russian Federation will strike a blow to people in need everywhere," Guterres told reporters.

US and UK slammed Russia for ending the the Black Sea Grain initiative, saying that such a move would worsen food security siutation acorss the globe. 

“By unilaterally forcing the collapse of the [Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI)], Russia has used food as a weapon and is preventing grain reaching those who need it most,” the spokesperson said. “The UK condemns Russia*s blatant attempt to harm the most vulnerable as part of its illegal war. Russia must renew the BSGI and commit to its full implementation.”

The White House has also said that Russia’s suspension of the pact that has allowed the Black Sea export of grain from Ukraine “will worsen food security and harm millions.” White House national security council spokesperson Adam Hodge said:
“We urge the government of Russia to immediately reverse its decision.”

Russia’s decision not to extend the Black Sea grain deal is final and no more talks are planned, state news agency Tass quoted a senior Russian official at the UN as saying on Monday, according to Reuters.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that Ukraine is prepared to continue grain exports after Russia exited a landmark deal brokered with Turkey and the UN to unblock deliveries from the major producer.

"Even without the Russian Federation, everything must be done so that we can use this Black Sea corridor. We are not afraid. We have been approached by companies that own ships. They said that they are ready" to continue shipments, Zelensky said in comments distributed on social media by his spokesman Sergiy Nykyforov.

The mayor of Kharkiv has refuted Russia’s allegations that attack on the Kerch Bridge linking the Crimean peninsula to Russia by Ukraine was an act of “terrorism” and said the Kremlin had brought death and destruction to his city on an epic scale.

Ihor Terekhov told Guardian that Moscow had been bombarding Kharkiv’s civilian population since last year’s full-scale invasion. Yesterday, one person was killed and seven injured in three separate attacks, with S-300 missiles fired from across the Russian border.

A Russian Su-25 fighter-bomber crashed into the Sea of Azov near the town of Yeysk on Monday but the pilot ejected successfully, local officials said in a statement on social media.

Unverified videos shared on social media appeared to show a parachute descending over the sea near a beach, and a large splash in the water. Yeysk lies across the Sea of Azov from the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine’s Donetsk region.

The officials from Russia’s Krasnodar region said the pilot had been rescued from the water.

Russia Monday said on that it would be ready to consider rejoining the Black Sea grain export deal if it had “concrete results”, but that so far its demands had not been met.

Its foreign ministry said in a statement that, despite UN efforts to prolong the deal, obstacles to Russian food and fertiliser exports remained, Reuters reports.

"Only upon receipt of concrete results, and not promises and assurances, will Russia be ready to consider restoring the deal."

President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen has condemned Russia’s cynical move to terminate the Black Sea grain deal.

A timeline to for the restoration of Crimean Bridge will be "clear by evening", said 
Marat Khusnullin, the Russian Deputy Prime Minister previously tasked with the Crimean Bridge's reconstruction after a first blast in October 2022.

He said that Russia is "inspecting" the bridge following a new explosion.

In a video address released on a new Telegram channel purportedly run by Crimean authorities, Khusnullin also outlines temporary detour measures in response to the damage to the bridge linking annexed Crimea to the Russian mainland, which include planned ferry routes and expedited passage through other Ukrainian territories annexed by Moscow.

Governor of Russia's Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, has said that the deceased in the Crimean bridge attack is a married couple and added that their daughter has "moderately severe wounds" and has been sent to the hospital for treatment.

Russia says two drones hit the bridge in the early hours of Monday and blames "the Kyiv regime." It is the second attack on the bridge, a personal project of President Vladimir Putin, during the Kremlin's 18-month long Ukraine offensive

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said that he believes Russia was looking to extend the Ukraine grain deal, despite Kremlin comments to the contrary.

"I think that despite today's statement, my friend (Russian President Vladimir) Putin wants to continue the agreement" that allows the export of Ukrainian grain to the Black Sea, which is due to expire at 2100 GMT.

Sweden's government on Monday announced it was pledging six billion kronor ($586 million) in aid to rebuild Ukraine and facilitate reforms to pave the way for EU membership.

International Development Cooperation Minister Johan Forsell said the funds, which would be distributed between 2023 and 2027, were part of a newly developed aid strategy specifically developed for Ukraine.

"This is the largest and most ambitious bilateral strategy that Sweden has developed, ever," Forsell told a press conference. (AFP)

Germany has appealed to Russia to extend the Black Sea grain deal with Ukraine, a government spokesperson in Berlin said on Monday.

"We continue to call on Russia to allow a further extension of the grain deal," government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann told reporters, adding that the "conflict should not be carried out on the backs of the poorest on this planet"

Asked at a regular news conference about blasts on the Kerch Bridge, the spokesperson said Berlin does not comment on individual developments in the war.

Kremlin on Monday said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was apprised of the drone attack on the Crimean bridge.

"Russian President gave orders to organise the traffic on the Crimean direction and to provide for help and assistance to people who are on the road. Putin has also ordered repairs on the bridge to be organised on the Crimean bridge," said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, according to Reuters news agency.

Blaming the Kyin regime for the attack, Peskov said, "We will all be working and remain vigilant and focused to prevent the repetition of such tragedies."

The Kremlin said on Monday (July 17) that Russia has suspended its participation in the Black Sea grain export deal, and will only return to the deal if Moscow's conditions are met. 

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Unverified images have been circulating on social media. The pictures show the damage done to the bridge. 

Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media. 

Crimea Bridge (also known as the Kerch Bridge or Kerch Strait Bridge) is very crucial for Russia as it is the only direct link between the transport network of Russia and the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014. 

The bridge is also crucial for the supply of fuel, food and other products to Crimea, where the port of Sevastopol is the historic home base of Russia's Black Sea Fleet. 

The bridge was damaged in a powerful blast last October, with Russian President Vladimir Putin branding it as a "terrorist attack" orchestrated by Ukrainian security services. 

In the aftermath, Putin ordered a wave of retaliatory strikes on Ukrainian cities including the capital Kyiv. But Ukraine has denied being behind the attack. 

Russian officials had said that the explosion was caused by a truck that blew up while crossing the bridge, killing three people. 

Traffic was halted on Russia's Crimean Bridge. Crimea governor Sergey Aksyonov wrote on Telegram: "Traffic was stopped on the Crimean bridge: an emergency occurred in the area of the 145th pillar from the Krasnodar Territory." 

He added, "Law enforcement agencies and all relevant services are working... measures are being taken to handle the situation." 

Russia also accuses Ukraine of being behind an attack on a road and rail bridge. 

"Today's attack on the Crimea bridge was carried out by the Kyiv regime," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on social media. 

The Ukrainian navy and SBU security service carried out an overnight attack on the Russian-built bridge linking annexed Crimea to Russia, a Ukrainian source told AFP Monday. 

"Today's attack on the Crimean bridge is a special operation of the SBU and the navy," the security service source said. The strike was carried out using waterborne drones, according to the same source.

Russia said a Ukrainian attack on the bridge linking Crimea to the Russian mainland killed a civilian couple and wounded their child. 

"Two civilians died: a man and a woman, driving a car on the bridge," the Russian Investigative Committee said. "Their minor daughter was wounded."