China reiterates need for political solution to Ukraine crisis

By Necva Tastan

ISTANBUL (AA) – China has reiterated its call for political solutions in Ukraine after the attack on the Crimea Bridge.

"We hope all parties are committed to a political solution to the Ukraine crisis. Relevant parties should refrain from attacking civilian facilities and objects, protect the safety of civilians and abide by international humanitarian laws,” said a spokeswoman of China’s Foreign Ministry, Mao Ning, according to Beijing-based Global Times.

Beijing responded to Monday's attack on the Crimea bridge that connects Russia to the Crimean Peninsula. The incident resulted in the loss of one adult's life and left a child injured.

According to Russian officials, two people died, and one was injured in the explosion at the bridge, also known as Kerch Bridge, resulting in the halt of traffic.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Defense Ministry is preparing “appropriate proposals” in response to the explosion earlier in the day at the bridge.

Putin spoke of the situation near Kerch Bridge during a meeting with officials. He said: “Of course, there will be a response from Russia. The Ministry of Defense is preparing appropriate proposals,”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia’s response to the Kerch Bridge blast would be “the achievement of all the goals of the special military operation,” claiming Ukraine was behind the blast.

Ukrainian media outlets such as Ukrinform and RBK-Ukraine cited the “unknown” sources in the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU). They reported that the SBU and the Ukrainian Navy were behind the Kerch Bridge explosion.

“Any illegal structures used to deliver Russian instruments of mass murder are necessarily short-lived ... regardless of the reasons for the destruction,” tweeted Ukraine’s Presidential Adviser Mykhailo Podolyak on Twitter.

The Ukrainian government has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement in the blast, and independent verification of Russia’s claims is difficult due to the ongoing war.