Two bridges in Russian regions bordering Ukraine collapsed on Sunday following explosions that Russian officials attribute to Ukrainian sabotage. The attacks, which killed at least seven people and injured 69 others, occurred in the Bryansk region, a strategic area near the Ukrainian border. Concurrently, Ukrainian drone strikes targeted Russian airfields, including one housing strategic bombers.

According to Reuters, a road bridge in the Bryansk region collapsed onto railway tracks due to an explosion. Russian authorities reported that the incident killed seven people and injured dozens. Andrei Kartapolov, chairman of the defense committee of Russia’s lower house, told the SHOT Telegram channel that the attack was “definitely the work of the Ukrainian special services,” aimed at derailing diplomatic efforts. Ukraine has not officially commented on the incident, though it has claimed responsibility for similar attacks in the past.

A second bridge collapse was reported in another Russian region bordering Ukraine, though specific details on its location and impact remain scarce. Russian politicians have pointed to Ukraine as the culprit, framing the incidents as deliberate sabotage.

Parallel to the bridge incidents, Ukrainian forces conducted drone strikes on Russian airfields, including the Olenya airfield in the Murmansk region and the Belaya airfield, destroying strategic bombers.

Recent history provides context for such claims. On March 20, Ukrainian forces struck the Engels-2 airbase in the Saratov region, a key facility housing Russia’s Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers. The attack, verified by multiple outlets including Reuters and The New York Times, caused secondary detonations of ammunition and damaged warehouses believed to store missiles like the Kh-101. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense confirmed the strike, noting it disrupted Russia’s ability to launch attacks on Ukraine. Satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies showed extensive damage to ammunition bunkers, though no major aircraft damage was confirmed.

Russian authorities have downplayed the extent of damage from past attacks, with the Defense Ministry claiming to have intercepted 54 Ukrainian drones in the Saratov region during the March 20 strike. However, the declaration of a state of emergency in Saratov after a January 8 attack on a fuel depot serving Engels-2 underscores the significant logistical challenges posed by Ukraine’s deep-strike operations.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)