Putin orders to tighten security at Crimea bridge following explosions

Following the explosion at the bridge that left at least three people dead, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree increasing security measures for the Crimea bridge, the Kremlin announced on Saturday.

Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, urged in a statement that the gas pipeline and energy bridge that connect the peninsula to the Russian mainland be secured.

“The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation shall be vested with the authority to organize and coordinate protection measures for the Kerch Strait transport crossing, the power grid’s energy bridge between the Russian Federation and the Crimean Peninsula, along with the main gas pipeline between the Krasnodar Region and Crimea, during their operation,” which was cited by TASS.

According to the article, this is done to increase the effectiveness of security measures for the Kerch Strait transportation crossing, energy bridge, and gas pipeline.

A train travelling to the Crimean Peninsula’s seven fuel tanks caught fire as a result of a truck explosion on a bridge over a roadway. According to news accounts, the explosion resulted in the deaths of three persons and the partial collapse of two spans of the road bridge.

Following a Saturday explosion on the viaduct, the road path of the Crimean Bridge was restored to cars and buses with a thorough inspection procedure required. According to Sergei Aksyonov, the leader of Crimea, vehicles must still travel across the Kerch Strait via ferry.

The Crimean Bridge’s railway portion has undergone a preliminary evaluation, and restoration work is in progress, according to the Russian Ministry of Transport.

Four years after Moscow occupied Crimea, President Vladimir Putin officially opened the bridge in 2018. It was built to connect the peninsula to Russia’s transportation system.

The 19-kilometre bridge, which spans the Kerch Strait and links Crimea with Russia’s mainland, is made up of portions for cars and trains. In 2020, it was completely functional.

The bridge, which has two parallel lanes for cars and trains, may be available to trains by 8 p.m. Moscow time (1700 GMT) on Saturday, according to earlier statements from the transport ministry.

“In light of the emergency situation on the Crimean Bridge, Putin heard reports from Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin, Emergencies Minister Alexander Kurenkov and Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev, as well as heads of security services,” according to a statement from the Kremlin.

Putin gave the Prime Minister the go-ahead to establish a government commission to look into the occurrence and get rid of any leftover effects as soon as feasible.

(With inputs from ANI)