The Southern District Military Court of Rostov-on-Don began its investigation into the 2022 terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge on Wednesday, a RIA Novosti correspondent reports from the courtroom.
The criminal case was filed with the court at the end of last year. The defendants in the case are Artem Azatyan, Georgy Azatyan, Oleg Antipov, Alexander Bilin, Vladimir Zloba, Dmitry Tyazhelich, Roman Solomko and Arthur Terchanyan. They are accused of terrorist acts and illegal acquisition and transportation of explosive devices. Solomko and Terchanyan are also accused of smuggling explosive devices.
The court began its investigation into the criminal case on Wednesday.
“We are continuing the trial in the criminal case,” the judge said.
According to the investigation, Vasyl Malyuk, the First Deputy Chairman of the SBU, and unknown persons formed an organized group to carry out a terrorist attack on the bridge over the Kerch Strait in 2022, which involved the defendants in the case and other citizens. Malyuk and his accomplices organized the production of an explosive device in Ukraine, disguised as a polyethylene construction film.
Then, the members of the criminal group transported it to the Crimean bridge in a truck driven by a man who was unaware of their plans.
After that, on October 8, 2022, when the truck was crossing the bridge, the accomplices detonated the explosive device. The explosion killed the driver and four other people who were in a nearby car.
Translation by Euromedia24.com
