8 arrested in explosion on Kerch Bridge, Russia says

Russian authorities announced Wednesday that eight individuals were arrested for their alleged involvement in an explosion that destroyed part of the Kerch Bridge over the weekend.

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement that it arrested five Russian citizens following Saturday’s incident as well as three Ukrainian and Armenian citizens.

The Russian agency outlined that authorities believe the 22-ton explosive was first moved by sea out of the Ukrainian port city of Odesa in August before traveling through multiple countries including Bulgaria, Georgia and Armenia.

Moscow has condemned the explosion as a terrorist attack and in its press release Wednesday the FSB accused Ukraine’s intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov and his office of being behind the bombing. Ukrainian military officials dismissed the claims Wednesday.

“The entire activity of the FSB and the Investigative Committee is nonsense,” Defense Ministry spokesman Andriy Yusov told reporters, according to The Associated Press.

The explosion Saturday killed several people and caused two sections of the bridge to partially collapse. The bridge linked Russia and the Ukrainian Crimean Peninsula, with the bombing seen as a high-profile blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a statement, Putin denounced the attack, referring to it as an “act of terrorism.” In response, Russia conducted missile attacks on multiple Ukrainian cities, including the capital of Kyiv. 

The FSB said Wednesday that its investigation into the incident remains ongoing, noting that the suspects involved in the bombing will be held accountable in accordance with Russian law.