Russia says Ukraine killed 2 in attack on key bridge linking Crimea with Russian mainland
CBSN
Moscow blamed Ukraine on Monday for a new attack that damaged the bridge that connects the Russian mainland with Ukraine's Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula. Crimea is home to some key Russian bases used by Vladimir Putin's forces in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Two people were killed and their 14-year-old daughter was injured in an overnight explosion on the bridge, the Russian government said. The bridge remained standing, though traffic was halted for some time.
Russia illegally annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, and its mountains and beaches are vacation destinations for Russian tourists. The 12-mile bridge over the Kerch Strait — the longest bridge in Europe — is the only direct link between Russia's Krasnodar region and Crimea that avoids land routes mired in fighting. It serves as a visible reminder to Ukrainians of Russia's claim over Crimea, and is a vital supply route for Russia's military into occupied Ukraine.
