Putin says Ukraine planned Crimea bridge explosion, calls it terrorism

FILE PHOTO: CCTV footage of a collapsed traffic lane is displayed on a monitor, after a freight truck detonated on the strategic road-and-rail Kerch bridge linking Russia and the Crimea peninsula, October 8, 2022 in this video still image obtained by REUTERS

Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that the explosion on a key bridge linking Crimea and the Russian mainland was a terrorist act planned by the Ukrainian special services.

"There is no doubt. This is an act of terrorism aimed at destroying critically important civilian infrastructure," Putin said in a video on the Kremlin's Telegram channel. "This was devised, carried out and ordered by the Ukrainian special services."

Putin was meeting Alexander Bastrykin, the head of Russia's Investigative Committee, who was presenting findings of an inquiry into Saturday's explosion and fire on the bridge.

Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a meeting with Chairman of the Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin in Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 9, 2022. Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Kremlin via REUTERS

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)