Following the cataclysmic explosion, Moscow races to reconstruct the Crimean bridge - Politico

After a significant explosion on Saturday, Russia is hurriedly repairing the bridge that connects seized Crimea to Russia in an effort to minimise the attack.

As of 7 p.m. local time, suburban rail lines are expected to resume operation on the Kerch Bridge, according to a message from the Russian Transport Ministry published on Telegram on Sunday. According to the ministry, long-distance freight and passenger trains on the bridge are already "operating in accordance with the usual schedule."

The massive explosion early on Saturday morning dealt Russian President Vladimir Putin a significant symbolic blow after he seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and began constructing the bridge that connects the Ukrainian peninsula to Russia the same year.

The U.K. Ministry of Defense stated in a study released on Sunday that "this catastrophe will certainly affect President Putin deeply" because the explosion occurred "hours after his 70th birthday" and his childhood buddy Arkady Rotenberg constructed the bridge.

After the explosion on Saturday, Putin strengthened security for the bridge and asked a government commission to examine the damage. Later on Sunday, the preliminary report from Moscow's examination of the bridge is expected.

The Russian Foreign Ministry published a video of the Kerch Bridge with traffic flowing, seemingly trying to minimise the impact. The U.K. Defense Ministry stated that transportation "capacity will be substantially diminished" on the bridge, in contrast to Moscow's statement of business as usual.

According to the U.K. ministry, 

The degree of damage to the rail crossing is undetermined, but any severe disruption to its capacity will most likely have a significant impact on Russia's already challenged ability to support its forces in southern Ukraine.

Perishable items will be prioritised on boats crossing the Kerch Strait, the Russian Ministry of Transport announced on Telegram on Sunday.

The purported bombing's origins have not yet been addressed by the Ukrainian administration in any remarks. With the hashtag #CrimeaIsUkraine, Ukraine's deputy foreign minister Emine Dzheppar shared a photo of the collapsed bridge portion on Saturday.

Ukraine has been conducting a counteroffensive against Russia over the past two weeks, taking back territory and cities that Moscow had occupied. More Western armaments, including air defence systems, are now being requested by Kiev. On Sunday, the Kremlin sent a message that it would retaliate if the West gave Ukraine more long-range weapons.

Deliveries of long-range or more potent weaponry to Kiev would violate Russia's "red lines," according to Aleksey Polishchuk, a foreign affairs official for the nation, who spoke to TASS on Sunday.

Following reports that Russian shelling of the city of Zaporizhzhia killed at least 17 people overnight, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba repeated his appeal for more defensive measures on Sunday.

Kuleba tweeted, "Russia continues its missile terror against residents in Zaporizhzhia." To protect innocent lives, we desperately need more advanced air and missile defence systems. Partners, please expedite deliveries.