Two bridges have collapsed in Russia’s western areas bordering Ukraine, killing at the very least seven folks and injuring dozens, authorities stated.
It was not clear on Sunday morning whether or not the 2 incidents — which each concerned trains — in neighboring Bryansk and Kursk had been associated, or what precisely prompted the separate collapses.
Russia’s Investigative Committee described each incidents as being brought on by explosions and has labeled them “terrorist” acts, state media reported.
Andriy Kovalenko, the top of Ukraine’s Heart for Countering Disinformation, a part of the Nationwide Safety and Protection Council of Ukraine, dismissed Russia’s allegation, saying: “As soon as once more, there’s a temptation to painting us as a ‘terrorist nation’ in an effort to keep away from dialogue.”
“It appears that evidently the Kremlin is getting ready the bottom for the collapse of the negotiations with a smear assault on Ukraine within the worldwide media,” he stated.
At the least seven folks had been killed in Bryansk when a highway bridge gave means onto a passenger prepare late Saturday, with railway authorities citing “unlawful interference.”
The bridge got here down within the area’s Vygonichi district, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the Ukrainian border, crushing the shifting prepare and injuring at the very least 66 folks, together with three youngsters, Russian authorities reported.
Bryansk’s regional governor Alexander Bogomaz blamed the collapse in his area on an explosion, saying the bridge had been “blown up,” in response to state media.
Bogomaz stated on Telegram that 44 folks had been hospitalized, with three in severe situation, together with a baby. The prepare was carrying 388 passengers.
Amongst these killed within the incident was the prepare’s engineer, Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti reported.
The prepare was touring from the city of Klimov to the capital, Moscow, when it was hit by the particles from the bridge and derailed, in response to RIA.
Pictures of the wreckage from the Moscow interregional transport prosecutor’s workplace present fallen earth, particles and concrete on high of what seems to be the passenger prepare, and derailed carriages as emergency providers attend the scene.
Moscow Railway stated the collapse was brought on by “unlawful interference in transport operations,” with out offering additional particulars.
Passengers had been evacuated from the wreckage and had been taken to a brief lodging heart at a close-by station, in response to TASS.
Railway staff later found harm to a different part of railway monitor additionally in Bryansk area, Bogomaz stated, including that there have been no casualties.
A broken freight prepare is seen following a railway bridge collapse within the Kursk area of Russia, on this image launched Sunday. – Appearing Governor of Kursk Area/Reuters
In one other incident in a single day into Sunday, a bridge collapsed in Russia’s Kursk area – which additionally borders Ukraine – as a freight prepare was passing over it, injuring one of many drivers, in response to the appearing governor of the area.
“A part of the prepare collapsed onto a freeway that was underneath the bridge,” appearing governor Alexander Khinshtein stated on Telegram. The incident prompted the prepare to catch fireplace and emergency service personnel labored to extinguish the blaze, he added.
Putin acquired updates concerning the two incidents all through the night time from the Federal Safety Service (FSB) and Russia’s emergencies ministry, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated Sunday, in response to state media.
State media additionally reported that the Russian chief had mentioned the incidents on the telephone with Bogomaz and the top of Russian Railways, Oleg Belozerov.
In a 3rd incident on Saturday night time, a Russian army freight prepare was blown up close to the occupied metropolis of Melitopol in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia area, in response to the Protection Intelligence of Ukraine.
“On account of the explosion, the prepare with gas tanks and freight vehicles derailed on the railway monitor,” the intelligence service stated.
The freight prepare was shifting in direction of Russian-occupied Crimea by way of a “key logistical artery” usually utilized by Russian forces, the authority added.
Since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv has responded to Russian aggression by launching assaults utilizing drones, artillery and troops into the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod areas. Professional-Ukrainian brokers and sympathizers inside Russia have additionally carried out acts of sabotage in opposition to Russian targets.
In 2023, a fireplace that ripped via a prepare because it traveled alongside a strategic rail tunnel in jap Russia was attributed to the Ukrainian Safety Service (SBU), in response to a Ukrainian protection supply.
This story has been up to date with extra developments.
For extra CNN information and newsletters create an account at CNN.com