Putin, Zelensky trade blames over bridge blast, missile strikes

Kyiv: Russia and Ukraine traded blame on Sunday, the former saying that the latter sponsored the lethal blast on the bridge linking Crimea to Russia and Ukraine condemned the missile attack on its territory that killed at least 13 people, Agence France-Presse reported.

Saying that the authors, perpetrators and sponsors of the bridge blast were Ukrainian secret services, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the incident a terrorist act. He was addressing a meeting with the chief of the investigation committee formed to probe the blast.

The bridge of 19 km length was an important supply link between Russia and the annexed Crimea. According to analysts, the blast might have a major impact on Moscow.

Denouncing Russia's missile attack on Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the attacks were merciless strikes on peaceful people and they were "absolute evil" orchestrated by "savages and terrorists", AFP quoted from a statement by the president's office.

The missile strikes killed at least 13 people, which included a child. It injured some 89 others, which included 11 children.

Further, regional official Oleksandr Starukh shared pictures of apartments in rubbles and informed that the rescue mission is on to save anyone trapped inside the ruins.

However, Russian officials claimed on Sunday that there was a sudden increase in attacks by Ukraine into Russian territory. Ukraine forces' firing has damaged homes, administrative buildings and a monastery, Russian forces said.

Russia's Federal Security Service said on Sunday that since October's start, the number of armed attacks by Ukrainian forces into Russian territories along borders has "considerably increased".