A military court in Russia has delivered life imprisonment verdicts to eight people convicted of carrying out a terrorist attack on the Kerch Strait Bridge, a crucial supply route connecting Russia to the annexed Crimean peninsula. The sentencing, delivered on Thursday, November 27, concludes a high-profile case concerning the October 2022 explosion that severely damaged the strategic bridge.
The Attack and Its Immediate Aftermath
The pivotal incident occurred in October 2022 when a truck bomb detonated on the bridge, destroying two sections of the structure. The powerful blast resulted in the deaths of the truck driver and four other individuals who were in a nearby car. The damage was so extensive that it required months of extensive and costly repairs to restore the link.
Moscow swiftly labeled the explosion an act of terrorism. In retaliation for the attack, Russian forces launched a widespread bombardment campaign targeting Ukraine's civilian infrastructure, focusing on the nation's power grid throughout the subsequent winter months.
The Trial and Defendants' Pleas
The trial for the eight accused took place behind closed doors in a military court in Rostov-on-Don, beginning in February 2025. The defendants, who included Russian, Ukrainian, and Armenian citizens, faced charges of terrorism and illegal arms trafficking. Among those sentenced were Artyom Azatyan, Georgy Azatyan, Oleg Antipov, Alexander Bylin, Vladimir Zloba, Dmitry Tyazhelykh, Roman Solomko, and Artur Terchanyan.
Despite the charges, all of the arrested individuals maintained their innocence. Russian media reported that they denied any knowledge that the truck was carrying explosives. Following the verdict, Oleg Antipov, an entrepreneur whose logistics company handled the shipment, addressed the court, vehemently protesting the decision.
"We are innocent. We are innocent," Antipov declared. "We all passed the polygraphs. We all proved our innocence. We cooperated fully. We went to law enforcement ourselves and gave our testimony. Not a single person has testified against us. All the witnesses say we are innocent. All the evidence says we are innocent."
Strategic Significance and Broader Context
The 19-kilometer Kerch Bridge is more than just a physical structure; it holds immense logistical and symbolic importance for the Kremlin. As the longest bridge in Europe, it serves as a vital artery for transporting military and civilian supplies to Crimea, a peninsula Russia illegally annexed in 2014. It stands as a constant, visible assertion of Moscow's control over the region.
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) eventually claimed responsibility for orchestrating the attack. In a 2023 interview, the head of the SBU, Lt. Gen. Vasyl Maliuk, revealed that he and two other trusted staff members prepared the operation, using other people without their knowledge. Russian authorities have accused Maliuk of being the mastermind. This attack was the first of two on the bridge; it was struck again in July 2023 by sea drones, an incident that killed two people.
