Russia blames 'terrorist' Ukraine, US, UK for Crimean bridge attack
Moscow has blamed Ukraine for an attack that struck the bridge connecting Russia and Crimea, saying the assault took place under the auspices of the United States and Britain.
"Today's attack on the Crimean bridge was carried out by the Kiev regime. This regime is terrorist and has all the hallmarks of an international organized crime group," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Monday.
"Decisions are made by Ukrainian officials and the military with the direct participation of American and British intelligence agencies and politicians. The US and Britain are in charge of a terrorist state structure," she added.
According to Russia's Anti-Terrorist Committee, Kiev used unmanned drones on the water surface in the deadly attack.
Russia's Investigative Committee said it has opened a criminal investigation into the incident that it blamed on Ukrainian "special services."
Ukrainian media reports, citing unnamed sources, also confirmed the involvement of Ukraine’s domestic security agency and navy in the attack.
Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne and media outlet Ukrainska Pravda said the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the navy were behind the attack, giving few details about the operation. But Suspilne said the bridge was attacked by underwater drones.
The Ukrainian military, however, suggested it could be an act of provocation on Moscow's side.
"The creation of such provocations, which the occupying authorities of Crimea report immediately very loudly, is a typical way of solving problems by authorities of Crimea and the aggressor country," Natalia Humeniuk, the spokesperson for Ukraine's southern military command, told the national broadcaster Rada.
Russian officials, meanwhile, said the attack killed two people and injured their child.
"The girl was injured," said governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, in a message on the Telegram messaging app, adding that "the hardest thing is that her parents died, dad and mum."
Last October, Russia blamed Ukraine for a similar attack on the bridge, saying it was organized by Ukrainian military intelligence and its director, Kyrylo Budanov.
Ukraine admitted only indirectly to the attack months later.
After the October attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the bridge repaired and even drove a vehicle across it.
The bridge, constructed on the orders of Putin, had been inaugurated in 2018, four years after Crimea voted in a referendum to become part of Russia.
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