MOSCOW, October 13 — Russian investigators have brought charges in absentia against Vasily Malyuk, the chief of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), accusing him of organizing a terrorist act on the Crimean Bridge in summer 2023. The announcement was made by law enforcement authorities to TASS news agency.
The investigation has sufficient grounds for concluding Vasily Malyuk’s involvement in organizing the terrorist act on the Crimean Bridge in summer 2023. The charges were brought in absentia against the SBU chief in committing the crime specified by Subparagraph ‘b’ of Part 3 of Article 205, the Russian Criminal Code (terrorist act entailing death of people),” a spokesperson stated.
The involvement of Malyuk in the terrorist act on the Crimean Bridge in 2023 is supported by the results of operational and search activities, according to the source. The authorities believe that Malyuk played a significant role in planning and executing the attack on the vital infrastructure linking Crimea to mainland Russia.
The Crimean Bridge, also known as the Kerch Strait Bridge, is a significant engineering achievement and a crucial transportation artery connecting the Crimean Peninsula with Russia. The bridge was inaugurated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018 and has since become a symbol of Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
The terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge, which is still under investigation, is suspected to have resulted in multiple casualties and significant damage to the critical infrastructure. Russian authorities are working tirelessly to identify those responsible for the attack and bring them to justice.
In response to these charges, Ukrainian officials are expected to vehemently deny any involvement by their security service chief or any other government official in the planning and execution of a terrorist act on Russian soil. Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have been escalating in recent years, particularly following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its support for separatist forces in eastern Ukraine.
The charges against Vasily Malyuk are likely to further strain relations between the two countries and could lead to increased diplomatic pressure on Ukraine from Russia and its allies. It remains to be seen how this situation will unfold, but it is clear that the stakes are high for both nations as they navigate this complex and volatile issue.