Arrested in the case of the Krymsky bridge announced a hunger strike in the pre-trial detention center

St. Petersburg businessman Oleg Antipov, who was arrested in connection with the explosion on the Krymsky Bridge an hour ago, announced a hunger strike in the pre-trial detention center. He insists on his innocence and demands to be released, reports the human rights channel “Pervy Otdel”. Antipov is a logistics specialist, the truck that exploded on the bridge belonged to his company.

34-year-old Antipov owned the TEK-34 company, which was engaged in cargo transportation. When he learned about the explosion of the Krymsky bridge on October 8, 2022, he suspected that the exploded car might be related to his company, and he himself turned to the FSB in St. Petersburg. According to him, shortly before the explosion, TEK-31 received an order to transport packaging film from Armavir to annexed Crimea. Antipov stated that he did not know about the explosives and wanted to help in the investigation. On October 14, he was arrested on suspicion of committing a terrorist attack.

In his open letter from the SIZO, Antipov once again declares that he was not involved in the explosion. “I was motivated only by the desire to help and do a good deed,” he writes. “And it turned out like that!”

Along with Antipov, two more suspects were arrested – Dmytro Tyazholykh and Alexander Bylyn. They are also accused of committing a terrorist act. On October 13, five more people – citizens of Ukraine and Armenia – were arrested in Crimea.

• The explosion on the Krymsky Bridge occurred on October 8, 2022. According to the investigation, a truck with explosives exploded. As a result, part of the bridge collapsed and a train loaded with fuel caught fire. Four people died. The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, called this explosion a terrorist attack and stated that its perpetrators and customers were the Ukrainian special services. Kyiv has repeatedly stated that it considers the bridge a legitimate military target.
• The Crimean bridge is strategically important both for the supply of the annexed Crimea and for the supply of manpower, equipment and weapons to Crimea for combat operations in Ukraine. After the explosion on the bridge, Russia sharply increased its shelling of Ukraine, including civilian infrastructure. Vladimir Putin called mass missile strikes a retaliatory measure.