Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the partially destroyed Crimean Bridge in October, his first visit to the annexed peninsula since the start of the offensive against Ukraine, Russian media reported on Monday.
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Russian television channels broadcast images showing Vladimir Putin driving a car, claiming that he was on this bridge connecting the Ukrainian peninsula with Russian territory.
The viaduct had been damaged in October by a powerful explosion attributed by Russian authorities to Ukrainian forces.
Russian president's first trip to Crimea
“
Vladimir Putin drove on the road to the Crimean Bridge, which was repaired after the explosion in October, and spoke with workers
,” the Kremlin said in a statement.
During the trip, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khousnullin, visible in the front passenger seat, "
reported to the head of state on the progress of repair work
", the Kremlin added.
This is Vladimir Putin's first trip to Crimea and to a site directly affected by the offensive he ordered in Ukraine since the start of the conflict at the end of February.
The explosion of the Crimean bridge, which killed three people, caused a shock in Russia: the fact that such a crucial infrastructure and so far from the front could be damaged represents indeed a snub for Moscow.
This concrete bridge, built at great expense on the orders of Vladimir Putin to connect the annexed peninsula to Russian territory, is used in particular to transport military equipment from the Russian army fighting in Ukraine.
