Putin pays visit to Crimean Bridge two months after explosion

Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a visit to the Crimean Bridge and inspected the site, where the explosion took place earlier in autumn, TASS reports.

The Russian president arrived at the scene and drove a car across the bridge. Putin listened to the report from Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin about the course of reconstruction works.

Earlier it was said that traffic on the right side of the motorway of the Crimean bridge, which was damaged in a powerful explosion in October, was resumed on December 5, at 10:50.

Putin stressed the importance of the land section of the bridge that connects Crimea with mainland Russia against the background of threats from Kyiv. According to Kremlin's official representative Dmitry Peskov, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin explained to Putin how the restoration works were carried out, and how many people took part in them. Putin also briefly talked to workers on the bridge, Peskov said.

A video of President Vladimir Putin driving a car along the Crimean bridge appeared on the Internet. Putin was filmed driving and talking to Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.

Putin drives Mercedes

Many paid attention to the fact that Putin was driving a Mercedes, rather than a domestic car. Kremlin's spokesman Peskov later said that Puin was driving a car that was available and prepared for him on the scene.

The choice of the car was related to logistics issues, he said.

"There was that particular car on the spot. In order not to have other cars delivered, that one was used," Peskov explained.

On October 8, a truck exploded on the Crimean Bridge causing two sections of the bridge to collapse. Putin accused Ukrainian special services of the attack. On October 10, Russia launched a series of massive missile strikes targeting Ukraine's infrastructure objects. Eight such attacks have been conducted so far.