The war in Ukraine: Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the missile attack that took place earlier today (Monday) in Kiev and other cities in Ukraine, is revenge for the bombing of the bridge leading from Russia to the Crimean Peninsula. “If we are attacked again in a terrorist attack, his response will be hard and fast,” he noted. He also added that “Ukraine committed a terrorist act, which required a severe response.”
At the same time as Putin’s threats, his ally the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, announced that Belarus and Russia would “deploy a joint regional group of troops” and claimed that Ukraine was planning to attack the territory of Belarus. “Yesterday, through unofficial channels, we were warned about attacks against Belarus from the territory of Ukraine,” Lukashenko said at a meeting on security issues. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that “this information is not true”, and the Kremlin also denied the report and refused to confirm it.
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According to the Ukrainian emergency services, at least 11 people were killed in the attack and at least 64 were injured, civil infrastructure was damaged and electricity supply interruptions were recorded throughout the country.
According to the reports, even in the afternoon, alarms were heard throughout Kyiv. Thick smoke rose from the center of the city, including from residences. Among the targets that were attacked was a central bridge in the city, known as the “Glass Bridge”. Missiles also hit near the Romanian embassy and a building for issuing visas to Germany in Kyiv.
Pictures circulating showing the bombing of a bridge in the Ukrainian capital #kiev
#Arabic pic.twitter.com/l3ccRs0go7– Arabic Urgent (@AlArabiya_Brk) October 10, 2022
In addition to Kiev, the cities of Kharkiv, Lviv, Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk were also bombed as part of the Russian attacks, dozens were killed. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that “Russia is trying to destroy our country.”
“Putin’s only tactic is terror on peaceful cities in Ukraine, but he will not break Ukraine. This is also his response to all the conciliators who want to talk to him about peace: Putin is a terrorist who talks with missiles,” harshly attacked Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kolba.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also condemned Russia’s “terrible and indiscriminate attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.” He added that NATO “will continue to support the brave Ukrainian people to fight back against the Kremlin’s aggression every More will be required.”
Metro services in the capital #Ukraine #Kiev Discontinued, the stations are now used as shelters for residents who are called to stay in them. Reminds me of the first days of the war. pic.twitter.com/qpHXfNXTime.news
— Guy Elster (@guyelsterhebrew) October 10, 2022
Putin on the explosion of the bridge leading to the Crimea: “terrorist attack”
Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday referred to the massive explosion that happened two days ago at the Crimean bridge. “We have no doubt that this is a terrorist attack,” he charged. The Russian president said these words during his meeting with the chairman of the Russian investigation committee for the explosion, Alexander Bastrykin. In addition to his claim that it was a terrorist attack, Putin added that “the aim of the attack is to destroy critical infrastructures of Russia.” He attributed the operation to the “secret services of Ukraine”.
The chairman of the investigation committee established by the Russian president supported his words and noted: “The secret services of Ukraine and Russian citizens from foreign countries are the ones who helped carry out this attack.” He also added that a number of people who were involved in the bridge explosion had already been identified by the Russians.
The 19 km long bridge is a strategically important asset for the Russians, due to the link between Russia’s Krasnodar region and their annexed Crimea. In photos of the bridge posted on social media after the explosion, it appeared that part of the road and the railway bridge had fallen into the water below. Flames are burning from several train cars.
⚡️Eyewitnesses post photos, video of the fiercely burning Kerch bridge.
The Kerch bridge from Russia to Crimea has been hit by a massive explosion on the span that carries railway traffic early on Oct. 8. pic.twitter.com/5wvIjBZmZZ
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 8, 2022
According to the British intelligence report, published yesterday and concerning the explosion on the bridge that resulted in the death of three people, two of the four split lanes collapsed in an explosion in several places, 250 meters long. In addition, the report stated that traffic on the bridge in the lanes that were not damaged almost certainly resumed, but Lower traffic capacity. As far as the railway line is concerned, it is not possible to estimate the extent of the damage caused by the explosion, but there is a high probability that this will affect Russia’s already limited abilities recently to maintain its military forces in southern Ukraine.