A court in Russia convicted eight individuals on Thursday for terrorism charges related to an attack on the Crimean Bridge, a vital supply route for Russian forces in the ongoing war with Ukraine. The court imposed life sentences on all defendants for their involvement in this significant incident.
The attack, which occurred in October 2022, involved a truck bomb that detonated and damaged two sections of the bridge. This explosion tragically resulted in the deaths of the truck driver and four other individuals who were traveling in a nearby car. In response, Moscow labeled the assault as terrorism and retaliated by targeting Ukraine's civilian infrastructure, specifically its power grid, during the harsh winter months.
The Ukrainian Security Service, known as the SBU, has claimed responsibility for orchestrating the attack. Among those convicted were individuals of various nationalities including Russian, Ukrainian, and Armenian citizens. In addition to the eight who were sentenced, five others—three Ukrainians and two Georgians—were charged in absentia.
The convicted defendants are Artyom Azatyan, Georgy Azatyan, Oleg Antipov, Alexander Bylin, Vladimir Zloba, Dmitry Tyazhelykh, Roman Solomko, and Artur Terchanyan. They faced charges of executing a terrorist attack and engaging in illegal arms trafficking. Two of the accused, Solomko and Terchanyan, were additionally charged with the smuggling of explosives.
Russian authorities allege that these individuals assisted Ukraine in planning the attack, though all arrested have denied the charges, asserting that they were unaware the truck was loaded with explosives, as reported by Russian media outlets. Lt. Gen. Vasyl Maliuk, the head of the SBU, mentioned in a 2023 interview that he and a few trusted personnel had coordinated the attack, involving others without their knowledge.
The military court in Rostov-on-Don, located approximately 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of the Ukrainian border, initiated the trial of the accused in February 2025, conducting proceedings behind closed doors. The Russian government has accused Maliuk of masterminding the attack.
The Crimean Bridge holds significant logistical and psychological importance for Moscow, serving as a crucial artery for both military and civilian supplies and symbolizing Kremlin control over the peninsula, which was annexed illegally in 2014. Since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukraine has targeted the bridge on two occasions: first in October 2022 with a truck bomb and again in July 2023 using sea drones, the latter resulting in two additional fatalities.
