Putin's Silence Over Crimean Bridge Explosion Causing Anger in Russia: ISW

Russian President Vladimir Putin's silence after an explosion caused the partial collapse of a bridge connecting Russia to the occupied Crimean Peninsula is causing anger in Moscow, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Saturday's explosion on the bridge over the Kerch Strait damaged an important supply route for Russia's forces as the Kremlin's war effort in Ukraine continues to face mounting setbacks. Ukrainian officials celebrated the explosion, but have not claimed responsibility.

Russia has not assigned blame for the explosion. In a tweet, Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Kyiv's "reaction towards destruction of civilian infrastructure is a testament to its terrorist nature."

According to the ISW in a Saturday report, the Kremlin "is likely continuing to frame the Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD) as the scapegoat for the Kerch Bridge explosion and other Russian military failures to deflect the blame from Putin."

In its assessment, the ISW said that "some nationalist voices noted that Putin and his close circle are failing to immediately address the attack on a symbolic bridge, voicing direct criticism of Putin for the first time."

The report added that one milblogger warned that if the Russian president fails to undertake retaliatory actions, it "will be mistaken for the weakness of the president himself."

The ISW, a think tank based in Washington, D.C., said others have criticized Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, for his silence given that he had previously said that any attacks on the Kerch Bridge would violate "red lines."

"Russian milbloggers and propagandists alike called on the Kremlin to resume strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure and notably did not make any calls for Russia to use tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine," the ISW said.

The ISW added the damage to the bridge won't cripple Russia's ability to equip its troops in Ukraine, but is "likely to increase friction in Russian logistics for some time."

"The collapsed lane of the road bridge will restrict Russian military movements until it is repaired, forcing some Russian forces to rely on the ferry connection for some time," the ISW said. "Russian forces will likely still be able to transport heavy military equipment via the railroad."

Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014 in a move that drew sanctions from the United States and the European Union. Putin personally opened the $3.7 billion Kerch Bridge in May 2018.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky referenced the bridge attack in a video address on Saturday. "Today was not a bad day and mostly sunny on our state's territory," he said. "Unfortunately, it was cloudy in Crimea. Although it was also warm."

Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the Ukrainian interior minister, told Newsweek on Saturday that there is a "high" risk that Putin will escalate his assault on Ukraine following the explosion.

Gerashchenko urged the West to dramatically increase arms supply to Kyiv to meet the new threat.

"We ask to give us more weapons. We don't ask to fight for us. We need three times as many HIMARS [multiple rocket launchers] and artillery, five times more tanks and armored vehicles, first and foremost including tanks produced by NATO countries, 10 times more vehicles. Your governments shouldn't wait and keep all the weapons, ammunition and vehicles in warehouses. Send it all to Ukraine so we can finish the war," he said.

Newsweek reached out to Russian and Ukrainian officials for comment.