Putin faces fresh crisis as key bridge collapses in Buryatia
Another major problem for Vladimir Putin. This time, a bridge on the highway leading to a Mongolian resort has collapsed. Cars and people won't be able to pass this section as the hole is enormous. The prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the incident.
3:06 PM EDT, July 21, 2024
The bridge collapsed on July 20 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time in the Republic of Buryatia, located in Siberia. According to local media, the route between the villages of Turan and Shymki, heading toward Mongolia, is completely inaccessible.
Heavy rains in the mountains were reported to have caused the collapse, significantly raising the water levels in the Zanginsan and Kirenka rivers. Social media shows footage from the region. The videos depict several people and vehicles, sunken asphalt, and cracked roads in various spots.
As a result, residents of the administrative center of the Tunkinsky District have been cut off from the rest of the region. This means that some residents will not be able to use the connection to the popular Mongolian city of Chatgal among Russians, where the heavily visited Lake Khövsgöl is located.
According to Kommersant, federal specialists must be sent to assess the damage. There are plans to fill the bridge approaches with rocky soil. The work will involve 20 dump trucks, two front loaders, and one excavator. The heavy equipment is to be brought from areas over 62 miles away.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Buryatia added that no alternative route exists. The Buryatia prosecutor's office has organized an inspection regarding the bridge collapse.
Another collapsed bridge in Russia
This is not the first such incident in Russia. In April, a viaduct connecting Russia with Belarus collapsed in the town of Vyazma in the Smolensk region. In the Republic of Dagestan, mud formed due to bad weather destroyed a road bridge.
A well-known Ukrainian politician posted a video on social media. From his post, it can be inferred that he does not expect a quick structure reconstruction.
Putin prefers to spend money on murders rather than improving the lives of his citizens, Anton Herashchenko, the former Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, harshly criticized.
A few days ago, a bridge on the highway in Shangluo, Shaanxi province, China, collapsed due to a severe downpour and flooding.
