Putin: Russia ready to retaliate for attack on vital Crimea bridge.

Russian President‍ Putin Responds to​ Attack on‌ Crimea Bridge

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Russian⁤ president Vladimir Putin⁢ said on ⁤Monday his defense ministry was preparing⁤ proposals‌ for ‍a response to an⁣ overnight ‌attack ​that ‌damaged the⁣ road‍ bridge ‍linking Crimea to southern Russia, ​for which ​he⁣ blamed Ukraine.

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Consequences⁢ of the Attack

At‍ the end⁣ of ⁢a televised ‌video ​meeting ‍with national and​ regional⁢ officials to assess ⁤the consequences of the attack,⁤ Putin called it ‍a cruel and⁣ senseless ⁣act, as he said the bridge “has not​ been used⁣ for ​military‍ transportation for⁢ a ⁤long time.”

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Russian authorities ⁢had said a ⁢couple driving over the bridge to ⁣go​ on⁣ holiday in Crimea ​had ‌been killed, and their ‍14-year-old daughter ⁤had been injured.

Kyiv⁤ did ​not officially claim responsibility, but Ukrainian media said ​Ukrainian‍ security ‍services⁣ had deployed maritime ​drones ⁤against‍ the⁢ bridge.

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The​ attack ⁢was similar to ‌one in October,‌ implicitly claimed by‌ Ukraine,⁣ that ‍put​ both‍ the ⁤road and rail bridges out of action for a ​time.

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Putin Demands Security⁤ Proposals

After ⁣two such incidents ‌in​ his war ⁣with Ukraine, ​Putin demanded “concrete” ⁣proposals to ensure the security‌ of the ⁣bridge, a prestige project that he instigated ⁤after Russia ⁣seized and then unilaterally annexed the peninsula on ⁣the ⁢Black Sea‌ from Ukraine in ‍2014.

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Ukraine​ has vowed to ‌take Crimea ‍back, along ​with⁤ all the territory that Russia has seized since​ launching ⁤a full-scale‌ invasion of Ukraine—which Moscow‍ calls a​ “special ⁣military operation”—in ‍February⁤ 2022.

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Impact on⁢ Summer ​Holiday‌ Season

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The latest attack coincided with ‌the summer ​holiday‍ season, and ⁣meant Russian tourists wanting to ‌drive to or from Crimea ‌would face ​the ⁢prospect ⁤of long‌ queues for a ​car⁤ ferry, or crossing ⁣territory seized‍ by Russia that Ukraine ⁤has ⁤vowed to recapture.

Deputy prime minister Marat Khusnullin told the video conference that there ‌was no ‍damage to⁤ the‍ pylons‌ of the 19-km (12-mile) bridge, ​but that a span​ carrying⁣ traffic in⁤ one direction had⁤ been​ completely⁤ destroyed and would ⁢have⁤ to be rebuilt.

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He said⁣ road traffic⁤ would resume in one direction by Sept.‍ 15, ⁣and would be ​restored⁤ in ‍both ⁣directions by ⁤Nov. 1.⁢ The parallel ⁣railway bridge was not damaged.

Kyiv says ​Russians have no business holidaying on ‌seized territory,⁤ especially ⁤while ⁤Moscow is bombing Ukraine.

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(Writing ‌by Kevin ⁤Liffey; ⁢Editing by⁢ Sandra Maler)