Russia

Russian-installed authorities in occupied southeastern Ukraine announced they would temporarily suspend President Vladimir Putins martial law order for those seeking alternative exit routes from Crimea after a deadly drone attack damaged a bridge connecting the annexed peninsula to mainland Russia early Monday.Putindeclared martial law which restricts movement and sets curfews in the partially-controlled Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions that he annexed last fall.The Kremlin-installed heads of occupiedDonetsk,Kherson andZaporizhzhia issued statements Monday ensuring round-the-clock traffic on roads leading to and from Crimea.Eyewitnesses and live traffic maps showed major congestion along roads leading from northern Crimea into the occupied Kherson region, then onto the cities of Melitopol and Mariupol before reaching southern Russias Rostov region.Reports from on the groundshowed police vehicles blocking entry onto the Crimea bridge and rerouting vehicles back toward the Black Sea peninsula.Local authoritiesboosted air defense coverage while security serviceseased traffic control measures to encourage drivers to take the alternative route through territories captured by the Russian forces during the 17-month invasion of Ukraine.The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR)said longer travel times of around eight hours across 400 kilometers and lack of GPS coverage would likely stifle demand for the evacuation route.People fear for their safety, ATOR said.The Kremlin said Putin hadordered to organize the flow of traffic including assistance to drivers to and from Crimea, but it did not offer concrete details on the measures that would be undertaken.At least 50,000 Russian tourists were estimated to be in Crimea at the time of the attack, most of whom traveled there by car.Train services and ferries between mainland Russia and Crimea were working with delays on the day of the drone attack.Commercial flights to Moscow-annexed Crimea have been suspended after the start of the war in Ukraine, and most Russian tourists drive to Crimea through the bridge.AFP contributed reporting.





Unlimited Portal Access + Monthly Magazine - 12 issues


Contribute US to Start Broadcasting - It's Voluntary!


ADVERTISE


Merchandise (Peace Series)

 


Over 3,300 Foreigners Have Received Russian Citizenship for Fighting in Ukraine, Official Says


Steve Jobs Was Like Hitler, Russian State TV Boss Says


[Russia] - Indonesia, Russia Kick Off First Joint Naval Drills


Russia Claims Captured Ukraine Village Near Logistics Hub: Defense Ministry


[Russia] - Moscow Denies 'Baseless' Claim Russia Behind Fake United States Election Video


[Russia] - Butter Prices Spike in Russia. Dairy Producers Blame Ice Cream


[Russia] - Eliminated Anti-Kremlin Activist Dadin Buried in Kyiv 'Without Permission,' Widow Claims


Russians Weary of War, Turning to TV for Distraction, Moscow Patriarch Says


Russian Investigators Launch Probe Into Deadly Drone Attack on Kursk Region Convent


[Russia] - Banished Businessman Chichvarkin Says He's Leaving Russia's Opposition, Citing Infighting


North Korea Says It Will Stand by Russia Until ‘Victory’ Over Ukraine


Russia Says Repelled Large Wave of Ukrainian Drone Attacks


[Russia] - Russia Jails Former U.S. Consulate Employee Nearly 5 Years for 'Collaborating' With Foreign State


[Russia] - U.S. Says North Korean Troops Ready for Ukraine Combat as Missile Raises Tensions


[Russia] - As Russia Advances in the Donbas, Ukraine Faces a New Surge of Displacement


[Russia] - Finland Charges Russian Nationalist Fighter With War Crimes Allegedly Committed in Ukraine


Russia’s Constitutional Court Lifts Statute of Limitations for Anti-Corruption Asset Seizures


[Russia] - Germany Charges Russian Dual National Over Alleged Terror Plot


Russian Lawmaker Calls for Ban on Halloween in Schools


[Russia] - 3 Killed, 35 Wounded in Russian Strike on Ukraine's Kharkiv





66