The U.K. Defense Ministry said on Oct. 9 that two of the four roadway lanes collapsed in several places. The Ministry added that extent of the damage on the bridge's rail crossing is unclear, but "any serious disruption to its capacity will highly likely have a significant impact on Russia's already strained ability to sustain its forces in southern Ukraine."
A fire broke out at the Crimean Bridge — the strategic bridge that connects Russia with the occupied Crimea peninsula — at around 7 a.m. on Oct. 8. Eyewitnesses' photos and videos of the fiercely burning Crimean Bridge showed that a massive explosion hit it on the span that carries railway traffic.
Following the explosion, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of Ukraine's President's Office, wrote on Twitter that "everything illegal must be destroyed, everything stolen must be returned to Ukraine, everything occupied by Russia must be returned."
According to Russia, a truck detonated, leading to a fire that spread onto a tanker train.
"According to preliminary information, a truck was blown up, which resulted in the ignition of seven fuel tanks of a train heading towards the Crimean Peninsula. As a result, two car lanes partially collapsed," wrote Russian Prosecutor's Office.
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