Traffic halted on Crimean bridge due to unspecified emergency

Kiev, July 17

A top official said on Monday that traffic on the Kerch bridge in Crimea was halted due to an unspecified emergency near its 145th support column.

Sergey Aksyonov, the Russia-appointed head of the occupied Crimea, made the statement on his Telegram channel, but did not reveal the cause of the incident, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Traffic was halted on the Crimean bridge: an emergency happened near the 145th support from the Krasnodar Territory. Law enforcement agencies and all responsible services are working," Aksyonov said in the statement.

He added that they were taking measures to restore the situation.

Aksyonov also urged Crimean residents to stay calm.

In October last year, an attack on the Kerch bridge disrupted major transport links between mainland Russia and the annexed Crimean Peninsula.

Not only did the blast on the brifge struck a blow against Russia’s military effort in Ukraine but also represented a psychological blow for Moscow and a major propaganda victory for Kiev.

Ukrainian officials celebrated the blast at the time but did not claim esponsibility.

It took place a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin turned 70.