Ukrainian official seemingly claims responsibility for Crimea bridge blast

A Ukrainian defence official, on Sunday (July 9), seemingly revealed that the country’s forces attacked the bridge connecting Russia and Russian-occupied Crimea, last year. Meanwhile, Russian officials claimed that their air defence systems shot down two missiles, one over the annexed Crimean peninsula and the other one over the southern Rostov region which borders Ukraine.

This also comes amid the Polish president’s visit to Ukraine to meet with his Ukrainian counterpart.

Did Ukraine claim responsibility for Crimea bridge blast?

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In what might be the first direct admission of Ukraine’s involvement in the blast which damaged Russia’s only land link to Crimea (annexed by Moscow in 2014), Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar in a Telegram post, said, “(It’s been) 273 days since (we) carried out the first strike on the Crimean bridge in order to disrupt the logistics for the Russians”.

The post, on Saturday, also noted some other Ukrainian successes amid the ongoing conflict, including the sinking of the Moskva cruiser, which the Russian officials have refused to attribute to a Ukrainian attack, as well as the liberation of Snake Island.

The Kerch Bridge blast took place in October 2022 and was inaugurated by President Vladimir Putinin 2018and is seen as a vital transport link carrying military equipment to Russian soldiers in Ukraine.

Officials in Moscow had determined that the blast took place after a vehicle had exploded and ignited a huge fire, setting ablaze seven oil tankers transported by train and collapsing two car lanes of the giant road and rail structure.

The Ukrainian defence official’s statement also caught the attention of Russian state media and officials. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, in response, once again called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government a “terrorist regime” and condemned the attack, in an online statement.

Russia claims to have intercepted missiles over Crimea and Rostov region

Russia-installed Governor Sergei Aksyonov took to Telegram, on Sunday, and said that a cruise missile was shot down near the city of Kerch on the Crimean peninsula but did not inflict any damage or cause casualties.

Additionally, local officials also reported some disruption in the traffic movement on the Crimean Bridge but said it was restored after an apparent suspension. However, they did not give any reason for the traffic halt.

Meanwhile, Russian Governor Vasily Golubev also took to Telegram and said the air defence shot down a Ukrainian missile in the Rostov region which is close to the Ukrainian border. “There were no casualties. The debris partially damaged the roofs of several buildings,” said Golubev.

Polish president’s visit to Ukraine

Polish President Andrzej Duda took to social media, on Sunday, and wrote, “We are stronger together,” while visiting the western city of Lutsk with his Ukrainian counterpart, on Sunday. The visit comes ahead of the NATO summit on July 11-12 where Kyiv is expecting a clear indication about being a part of the United States-led military alliance.

Notably, Poland has been one of the biggest supporters of Ukraine within NATO since the beginning of the conflict over a year ago and asked for “security guarantees” from other members of the alliance for Kyiv.

Poland increases security along eastern border

The Polish president’s visit to Ukraine comes a day after the country’s defence minister said that they are moving more than 1,000 troops to the east of the country amid concerns over the presence of Russia’s Wagner Group fighters in neighbouring Belarus.

“Over 1,000 soldiers and almost 200 units of equipment from the 12th and 17th Mechanized Brigades are starting to move to the east of the country,” said Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak. He added, “This is a demonstration of our readiness to respond to attempts at destabilisation near the border of our country.”

The move also comes nearly a week after Warsaw said it would send 500 police officers to its border with Belarus to secure its border amid an increase in the number of migrants trying to cross into the country from Minsk.

Over 200 people tried to enter Poland illegally, on Friday,including citizens of Morocco, India and Ethiopia, according tothe Border Guard.

(With inputs from agencies)

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