Telegraph
The Kerch bridge between Crimea and mainland Russia has been partially destroyed in an apparent Ukrainian strike.
An explosion on the rail section of the bridge was reported early on Saturday morning.
Footage from the scene later showed a train of oil tanker wagons ablaze, and one lane of the parallel road bridge collapsed into the sea.
In one video a driver parked near the blaze was heard saying on the phone: “Tolya, I’ll be late. Briefly, the bridge is on fire.”
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No casualties were immediately reported.
A Russian-appointed local official said a fire had broken out on the oil train and that it was being extinguished.
Vladimir Putin ordered construction of a bridge across the strait of Kerch following the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant disconnected due to shelling, says Energoatom
The Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant lost its connection to external power supply early on Saturday as a result of shelling, Ukraine’s state nuclear company Energoatom said, blaming Russia.
Energoatom said the plant was now getting power to cover its own needs from its backup diesel generators.
“The diesel generators started automatically. The available supplies of diesel fuel for their operation in this mode will be enough for 10 days,” the company wrote on Telegram.
‘Ukrainian vandals’ responsible for bridge fire, says head of Crimea parliament
The head of the Russian-installed regional parliament in Crimea, Vladimir Konstantinov, has blamed the bridge fire on “Ukrainian vandals”.
Russia had maintained the bridge was safe despite the fighting in Ukraine but had threatened Kyiv with reprisals if it was attacked.
If it is established that Ukraine was behind the blast, it is a matter of serious concern for Moscow as the bridge is far from the front line.
There have been several explosions at Russian military installations in the Crimean peninsula.
The Kremlin spokesman said Putin had ordered the establishment of a commission to look into the blast.
