Russia Accuses Ukrainian Intelligence of Behind the Bridge Explosion Crimea: The Explosives Brought From Odessa, Disguised in Polyethylene Rolls

Ledakan jembatan Krimea. (Sumber: Tangkapan layar YouTube City News)

JAKARTA - The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has revealed that the mastermind behind the terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge was the head of the Ukrainian military intelligence service, Kirill Budanov (Kyrylo Budanov), while explosives were sent from Odessa via Bulgaria, Georgia and Armenia.

"The Federal Security Service, together with the Investigative Committee, determined that the perpetrators of the terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge were the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, its head Kirill Budanov, its employees and agents," the FSB Center for Public Relations told TASS as quoted on October 13.

More FSB noted in operational information, the explosive device was disguised in a roll of construction polyethylene wrap on 22 pallets with a total weight of 22,770 kg.

The explosive was delivered from the port of Odessa to the Bulgarian town of Ruse in early August. Delivery is arranged through a contract dated August 2, 2022, between Translogistics UA LLC (Kiev) and Baltex Capital S.A. (Russia).

"Ukrainians Mikhail Vladimirovich Tsyurkalo (47), Denis Olegovich Kovach (43), Roman Ivanovich Solomko (51), as well as Georgians Sandro Inosaridze, a broker named Levan and an Armenian citizen Artur Terchanyan (37), were involved in the transport of cargo from Bulgaria to the port of Poti (Georgia) and then to Armenia," the FSB said.

Head of Ukrainian Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov. (Wikimedia Commons/President.gov.ua)

Between September 29 and October 3, the cargo passed through customs in Yerevan at the Transalliance terminal in accordance with EAEU rules, the old documents were replaced with new ones, where the sender was GU ARJ Group Ltd., (Republic of Armenia, Alaverdi) and the consignee was Lider Ltd. ., (Moscow).

After that, on October 4, cargo on DAF trucks registered in Georgia crossed the Russian-Georgian border at the Upper Lars border crossing point and on October 6, cargo was delivered and unloaded at the wholesale base of Armavir in the Krasnodar Territory.

On October 7, with the help of Solomko, Ukrainian citizen Vladimir Vasilyevich Zlob (35), and five other identified Russian citizens changed cargo documents again, this time, the sender was named LLC TEK-34 (Ulyanovsk), and the recipient was a company that does not exist in the Republic of Crimea.

On the same day, pallets were loaded onto the truck of Russian citizen Mahir Yusubov (51), who was leaving for Simferopol, and on October 8 at 06:03 Moscow time, an explosion occurred while he was driving over the Crimean Bridge.

The FSB noted, "control over the movement of cargo along the route and contact with participants of the criminal transport scheme was carried out by an employee of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, who introduced himself as 'Ivan Ivanovich'.

To coordinate the plot, he used a virtual anonymous phone number purchased on the Internet, belonging to the Ukrainian citizen, who is a resident of Kremenchug, Sergey Vladimirovich Andreychenko (34).

"Currently, five Russian nationals, and three Ukrainian and Armenian nationals, who participated in the preparation of the crime, have been detained," the FSB reported.

"The investigation into the attack continues. All organizers and accomplices, including foreign nationals, will be prosecuted in accordance with Russian law," the FSB said.