Explosion on Crimean Bridge: over 1,000 trucks stuck in traffic jam at crossing

VALENTYNA ROMANENKO — THURSDAY, 13 OCTOBER 2022, 16:59 

More than 1,000 trucks are stuck in a traffic jam at the Kerch crossing in Krasnodar Krai in the Russian Federation. They are waiting to enter occupied Crimea after the explosion on the Crimean Bridge occurred [and damaged the bridge, making it impossible to cross].

Source: Kavkaz Realii

Details: It is reported that the occupation authorities of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea are suggesting that drivers use a land route with an escort from the State Traffic Inspectorate. This route runs through recently annexed Ukrainian territories.

The Kuban operational staff stated that 10 new parking lots that can accommodate 2,300 vehicles are in operation in the Temryuk district. Hot tea and buckwheat with stew are being given out to people in the queue. Sergey Aksyonov, the so-called head of occupied Crimea, stated that the average waiting time in the queue is three to four days.

At the moment, four ferries are operating at the crossing. They can accommodate up to 90 lorries and 300 people. The Kuban authorities say that 9,000 people and 1,800 vehicles were transported in both directions between 8 October and the morning of 13 October.

At the same time, drivers have been offered an alternative way of delivering shipments from the peninsula - via an overland route through Ukraine’s occupied Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk oblasts to Rostov Oblast, Russia. This route passes through the cities of Dzhankoi, Melitopol, Berdiansk, Mariupol, Novoazovsk and Taganrog [the latter is in Russia - ed.], and is about 387 km long. Aksyonov stated that the convoys of trucks were escorted by the State Traffic Inspectorate. He added that a third convoy had departed this way yesterday. 

Background:

• The explosion on the Crimean Bridge occurred in the morning of 8 October. The Russian investigation stated that a truck containing an explosive blew up on the bridge. As a result, part of the bridge collapsed and a train loaded with fuel caught fire. 
• Russian President Vladimir Putin called this explosion a terrorist attack and accused the security services of Ukraine of being behind it.
• Kyiv has repeatedly stated that it considers the Crimean Bridge to be a legitimate military target as Crimea is a sovereign territory of Ukraine. However, Kyiv has not officially commented on the incident.

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