Ukraine accused of Crimea bridge blast

Russia on Monday accused Ukraine of carrying out an attack on the bridge connecting the Russian mainland and Crimea, with the involvement of the United Kingdom and the United States.

Moscow later suspended its participation in a landmark Black Sea grain export deal, with it set to expire at midnight Istanbul time, saying it would return to the agreement if its conditions were met.

Two people were killed and their daughter was wounded in the attack. Blasts were reported before dawn on the Crimea bridge, media reported. The 19-kilometer bridge is a key supply line for Russian troops.

Russia's National Anti-terrorism Committee said the attack had been staged by the Ukrainian special services and involved two sea drones. An investigation was underway.

According to a report by Agence France-Presse, a Ukrainian source said the Ukrainian navy and Security Service of Ukraine, or SBU, carried out the overnight attack using waterborne drones.

"Decisions are made by Ukrainian officials and the military with the direct participation of US and British intelligence agencies and politicians. The US and Britain are in charge of a terrorist state structure," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

Russia's Transport Ministry said the bridge had sustained damage to its spans — the lengths between the support piers — and is being inspected by officials.

A video showed a section of road on the bridge had split.

Railway traffic via Crimea bridge resumed six hours later, as a Moscow-bound train from Simferopol departed from Kerch city, the operator said. However, four more trains to Crimea and a train from the peninsula have been delayed.

Kyiv has not officially claimed direct responsibility for the attack but the SBU said in a cryptic message on Telegram: "Nightingale, my dear brother, The bridge has gone to sleep again. And once… Twice!"

Russia blamed Ukraine for an attack on the bridge last October, saying it was organized by Ukrainian military intelligence. Ukraine admitted only indirectly to the attack months later.

However, the Kremlin added there is no link between the latest attack and ending the grain deal.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia knew "very well" that NATO and the US were providing intelligence to Ukraine but this was not a reason to cut off diplomatic ties with them following the attack.

"In the most acute moments, we need channels for dialogue," he said.

Landmark deal

The deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkiye last July, aimed at alleviating a global food crisis by allowing Ukrainian grain blocked by the Russia-Ukraine conflict to be safely exported.

It had been extended several times. Russia had been saying for months that conditions for its extension had not been fulfilled.

Last year, the deal enabled the export of more than 32 million metric tons of Ukrainian grain.

Putin on Saturday told South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in a phone conversation that the deal has not met its objectives.

Though Russia has renewed the deal three times, it has repeatedly complained about international sanctions that hinder its own shipments of fertilizers and grain.

Agencies via Xinhua contributed to this story.