At least seven dead after two Russian bridges collapse

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The damaged bridge

Two bridges have collapsed overnight in separate incidents in Russian regions bordering Ukraine, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens more. State media said the collapses were being probed as “acts of terrorism”.

A road bridge came down in Bryansk, bringing several heavy trucks onto a moving passenger train late on Saturday, the regional governor said.

At least seven people were killed and at least 71 were injured, Governor Alexander Bogomaz said. Hours later another bridge collapsed in the Zheleznogorsk district of Kursk, derailing a locomotive train, acting governor Alexander Khinshtein said.

The train caught fire and a driver suffered injuries to his legs, Khinshtein said.

Khinshtein wrote on Telegram in the aftermath: “The cause of the bridge collapse will be established. All emergency services are working on the scene. I am keeping the situation under control.”

Moscow Railway alleged on Telegram that the Bryansk bridge came down as a result of “illegal interference”.

A Ukrainian national security official said the incidents were Russian “false flag” operations, designed to “manipulate international opinion” ahead of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey on Monday.

Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council’s Centre for Countering Disinformation, accused Russia of “laying the groundwork to derail the negotiations”.

He added Ukraine had “absolutely no incentive to sabotage the Istanbul summit”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was briefed on the incidents throughout the night, the Kremlin said.

Credit: bbc.com

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