The case of eight defendants in the Crimean Bridge explosion has gone to court

A criminal case against eight persons accused of involvement in the terrorist attack on the Crimean bridge has been sent to a military court. This was announced by the Russian Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) on Tuesday, December 3, on its official website.

Artem Azatyan, Georgy Azatyan, Oleg Antipov, Alexander Bylin, Vladimir Zlob, Dmitry Tyazhelykh, Roman Solomko and Artur Terchanian are charged under paragraph "b" of part 3 of article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Terrorist act") and part 4 of article 222.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, forwarding or carrying of explosives or explosive devices"). Solomko and Terchanian are also charged under Part 3 of Article 226.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Smuggling of explosive devices").

"First Deputy Chairman of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Vasyl Malyuk (included in the Russian Federation in the list of terrorists and extremists) and unidentified persons with the purpose of committing a terrorist act at the transport crossing through the Kerch Strait in 2022 created an organized group, in which the above persons were involved," - stated in the message of the Department.

It is noted that Malyuk and his accomplices manufactured an explosive device in Ukraine, disguised as construction film, and delivered it to the Crimean bridge in a truck, the driver of which was not aware of the criminal plan. The explosion, which occurred on October 8, 2022, claimed the lives of the truck driver and four other people in the passenger car.

A measure of restraint in the form of remand in custody has been selected against the accused. The investigation into the case against the chairman of the SBU continues.

Earlier, on October 13, it became known that the charge in absentia in the case of organizing a terrorist attack in the summer of 2023 on the Crimean bridge was brought against Malyuk. He is charged under paragraph "b" part 3 of article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Terrorist act resulting in loss of life").

Before that, on August 2, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of Ukraine Kirill Budanov (listed in the Russian Federation as a terrorist and extremist) said on the air of a telethon that Ukrainian militants may strike the Crimean bridge in the near future.

On May 23, Malyuk said that one of the priority targets for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) is the Crimean bridge. He noted that it was Ukraine that first started using surface drones and repeatedly attacked the Russian navy.

The Ukrainian side has repeatedly committed terrorist attacks on the Crimean bridge. Thus, on October 8, 2022, a truck was blown up on the bridge. Then, as a result of the terrorist attack, seven fuel tanks of the railroad train exploded, which led to the partial collapse of two automobile spans. Four people were victims of the incident. Later, on July 7, 2023, two Ukrainian surface drones attacked the bridge in the area of the 145th support from the side of Krasnodar Krai. As a result, two residents of the Belgorod region - a married couple - were killed, and their daughter was hospitalized.

The road part of the bridge was damaged on July 17, 2023, when two Ukrainian surface drones attacked it in the area of the 145th pillar from the direction of Krasnodar Krai. As a result, two residents of the Belgorod region, a married couple, were killed and their daughter was hospitalized. The girl was later discharged.