Crimean Bridge Traffic Halted Due To "Emergency", Explosions Reported
It's deja vu all over again as various local news outlets report that traffic on the Russian-built Crimean Bridge - linking the Crimean peninsula to the Russian region of Krasnodar - was stopped due to an emergency.
Traffic jam of cars trying to cross into Crimea pic.twitter.com/RbbHgep6V8
— Dmitri Alperovitch (@DAlperovitch) July 17, 2023
The head of the Crimea Sergey Aksyonov made the statement on his Telegram channel, but did not specify the nature of the incident:
"Traffic was stopped on the Krymsky Bridge: an emergency occurred in the area of the 145th support from the Krasnodar Territory. Law enforcement agencies and all responsible services are working. I spoke with the Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Vitaly Gennadyevich Savelyev, measures are being taken to restore the situation. We keep in touch with colleagues from Krasnodar Territory," Aksenov wrote.
It was early in the morning and so there are few images available due to the darkness, but there are some video clips that reportedly of the scene:
⚡️Unverified video reportedly showing damage to the Crimean bridge now pic.twitter.com/mJAQknX1XE
— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) July 17, 2023
⚡️Situation at the Kerch bridge, traffic is suspended pic.twitter.com/juBjrfGzBu
— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) July 17, 2023
⚡️Ambulances now arriving at the Crimean bridge after explosions were heard.
— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) July 17, 2023
Reminder, traffic is blocked. pic.twitter.com/YnyPWPTii7
⚡️Video from the Crimean bridge moments ago after explosions were heard pic.twitter.com/GzhOUg4ecm
— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) July 17, 2023
The RBC-Ukraine news agency reported that explosions were heard on the bridge.
⚡️Smoke can be seen on the Kerch bridge now pic.twitter.com/irUipvdyXE
— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) July 17, 2023
Russia's Grey Zone channel, a heavily followed Telegram channel affiliated with the Wagner mercenary group, reported that there were two strikes on the bridge at 03:04 a.m. and 03:20 a.m.
The Wagner affiliated Gray Zone channel claims that AFU hit the Kerch Bridge two times pic.twitter.com/7JadFmtfuC
— Giorgi Revishvili (@revishvilig) July 17, 2023
There has been no official comment from Ukraine or Russia as yet.
