Russia's FSB arrests eight for Crimean Bridge bombing - Reuters

MOSCOW, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Russia's Federal Security Service said connected Wednesday that it had detained 5 Russians and 3 citizens of Ukraine and Armenia successful transportation with the bombing of a captious span to Crimea, an onslaught it said was masterminded by Ukraine.

The FSB said the onslaught was organised by Ukrainian subject quality and its director, Kyrylo Budanov - echoing accusations by President Vladimir Putin implicit what helium has called a "terrorist attack" against captious civilian infrastructure.

"The organizer of the violent onslaught connected the Crimean Bridge was the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, its caput Kyrylo Budanov, its employees and agents," said the FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB.

Ukraine has not officially confirmed its engagement successful the span blast connected Saturday, but immoderate Ukrainian officials person celebrated the harm and an unidentified Ukrainian authoritative told the New York Times that Kyiv was down the attack.

The FSB said the explosive instrumentality was camouflaged successful rolls of operation polyethylene movie connected 22 pallets with a full value of 22.7 tonnes, and moved from Ukraine to Russia via Bulgaria, Georgia and Armenia.

"Control implicit the question of the cargo on the full way and contacts with participants successful the transgression proscription strategy were carried retired by an worker of HUR MO," the FSB said successful a statement, utilizing the acronym for Ukrainian subject intelligence.

The 12-mile (19 km) roadworthy and obstruction bridge, a prestige task personally opened by Putin successful 2018, had go logistically captious to his subject campaign, with supplies to Russian troops warring successful southbound Ukraine channelled done it.

The detonation wrecked 1 conception of the roadworthy bridge, temporarily halting traffic. It besides destroyed respective substance tankers connected a bid heading towards the annexed Crimean peninsula from neighbouring confederate Russia.

On Monday Russian forces launched wide rocket strikes against Ukrainian cities, including powerfulness supplies, successful what Putin said was retaliation for the span bombing.

The FSB, headed by Putin state Alexander Bortnikov, besides said that it had prevented Ukrainian attacks successful some Moscow and the occidental Russian metropolis of Bryansk.

Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.