Vladimir Putin unleashes fury on Ukraine after Crimea bridge explosion

Vladimir Putin appears to have started exacting revenge on Ukraine after his favourite bridge was destroyed in a massive blast.

Vladimir Putin has unleashed a fresh missile strike in Ukraine after the Crimea bridge explosion.

Vladimir Putin has launched a missile strike on Ukraine in what appears to be a revenge attack after a huge blast destroyed a critical bridge linking Russia and Crimea.

At least 17 people are dead, including a child, and dozens are trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings following the Russian strike on the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, officials said on Sunday.

Zaporizhzhia city council secretary Anatoliy Kurtev said at least five homes were destroyed and about 50 multistorey buildings were hit in the strike, The Sun reported.

The Ukrainian military also confirmed the attack, saying that there were dozens of casualties.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky branded the hit “absolute evil”.

“Zaporizhzhia again. Merciless strikes on peaceful people again,” Mr Zelensky said on Telegram.

“On residential buildings, just in the middle of the night.”

A residential building hit during a Russian strike in Zaporizhzhia on Sunday. Picture: Ukrainian State Emergency Service / AFP

The strike on Zaporizhzhia came hours after a critical Russian bridge was destroyed in an explosion. Picture: Ukrainian State Emergency Service / AFP

The president said 49 people, including six children, were in hospital.

“Absolute meanness. Absolute evil. Savages and terrorists,” he said of the strike.

“From the one who gave this order to everyone who fulfilled this order. They will bear responsibility. For sure. Before the law and before people.”

The latest deadly attack follows a massive explosion that wrecked Russia’s $5.6 billion Kerch Bridge — a highly symbolic link between the Russian mainland and annexed Crimea — just one day after Mr Putin’s birthday.

Kerch Bridge exploded in a massive fireball, killing three people and damaging an important supply chain for Russia.

The shock explosion set fire to the railway line and blew out a section of a road bridge collapsing it into the depths of the Black Sea.

The exact cause of the explosion remains unknown.

The leading theory is speculation that the blast was triggered by a truck bomb.

Russia’s Kerch Bridge was destroyed after an explosion. Picture: Security Service of Ukraine / AFP

Kirch Bridge links Crimea with mainland Russia and is a crucial Russian supply line. Picture: Maxar Technologies / AFP

Ukraine, Ukrainian has not claimed responsibility for the attack, but has widely celebrated the explosion and previously hinted it would attack the Kerch Bridge.

An adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky said this was “just the beginning”, adding: “Everything that is stolen must be returned to Ukraine”.

The hit on the bridge was a massive blow to Putin’s war efforts, sparking fears it would trigger a revenge attack.

Western officials warned the Russian leader would seek revenge following the blast on the bridge, while Russian officials said they expected an aggressive response.

Previously, the Kremlin had warned any attack on the Kerch Strait would trigger “judgement day”.

Just hours after the explosion, Mr Putin appointed General Sergey Surovikin to take command of Russian forces.

Western analysts fear Mr Putin would escalate his assault on Ukraine and suggested the threat of nuclear warfare has risen.

The West is bracing for Vladimir Putin to unleash retaliatory attacks. Picture: Alexander Nemenov / AFP

The Kerch bridge is Russia's sole land link with annexed Crimea. Picture: AFP

UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) warned that the Crimea bridge blast “will highly likely have a significant impact on Russia’s already strained ability to sustain its forces in southern Ukraine”.

The MoD said in a statement: “The extent of damage to the rail crossing is uncertain, but any serious disruption to its capacity will highly likely have a significant impact on Russia’s already strained ability to sustain its forces in southern Ukraine.

“The rail crossing was only opened to freight in June 2020, but the line has played a key role in moving heavy military vehicles to the southern front during the invasion.

“This incident will likely touch President Putin closely; it came hours after his 70th birthday, he personally sponsored and opened the bridge, and its construction contractor was his childhood friend, Arkady Rotenberg.

“In recent months, Putin’s former bodyguard, now commander of the Russian National Guard, Viktor Zolatov, has provided public assurances about the security of the bridge.”

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Vladimir Putin unleashes fury on Ukraine after Crimea bridge explosion