Ukraine admits blowing up Crimean Bridge in October

The Ukrainian side is responsible for the blowing up of the Crimean Bridge, connecting mainland Russia and the annexed peninsula, on 8 October 2022, says Hanna Malyar, Ukraine’s Deputy Defence Minister.

Malyar posted on her social media, reviewing successful operations by the Ukrainian military during the 500 days of war against Russia. Her statement is the first time a Ukrainian official admits that it was Kyiv that set up the explosion.

“273 days ago we delivered our first strike against the Crimean Bridge in order to disrupt Russia’s logistics,” Malyar wrote.

In her post, she mentioned other key events of the current war: the liberation of north Ukraine and Snake Island, the sinking of the Moskva cruiser, the receipt of the first HIMARS and Patriot weapons, the Kharkiv counteroffensive, the liberation of Kherson, the ICC arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, and the first downed Kinzhal hypersonic missile.

Prior to this, the Ukrainian side would only hint at its connection to the Crimean Bridge explosion. In late May, Vasyl Malyuk, the chairman of Ukraine’s Security Service, mentioned that Ukraine had been conducting “certain operations” on the Crimean Bridge, which Russia later “declared a terror attack”.

An explosion occurred on the Crimean Bridge in the early hours of 8 October, causing the road surface to collapse in several sections and setting a train transporting flammables alight. Four people were killed by the explosion.

The following day, Vladimir Putin referred to the explosion as “a terror attack against Russia’s critical infrastructure” and said Ukraine had plotted it. Alexander Bastrykin, the chairman of Russia’s Investigative Committee, said “citizens of Russia and other countries were involved in plotting the attack”.