Ukraine’s ministry of defence made a video showing explosions on a beach to warn Russian tourists to stay away from Crimea (Picture: east2west/Reuters/AFP)
Russia is fearful that disgruntled Wagner fighters who have turned against Vladimir Putin are plotting to attack the Kerch bridge linking the mainland to Crimea.
Tourists trying to cross the bridge to head to the Black Sea peninsula faced severe delays of up to seven hours on the crossing as each vehicle was subject to strict security checks.
They went to extremes including sending children to get x-rays and inspecting every section of cars, including the glove compartments, according to citizen information service InformNapalm.
The 10-mile bridge, which was built at a cost of around £3 billion, links annexed Crimea to the Taman Peninsula of Krasnodar Krai on mainland Russia.
Delays also hit the nearby truck ferry service between the mainland and Crimea.
Concerns have been raised that angry Wagner fighters could be planning a violent bomb attack after Putin axed their army, according to a report.
Map shows the Kerch Bridge between mainland Russia and Crimea (Picture: Metro.co.uk/Datawrapper)
Some Wagner mercenaries will join Yevgeny Prigozhin in Belarus while others will join the regular Russian army (Picture: REUTERS)
The private army was central to one of the most dramatic days in recent Russian history last month, when leader Yevgeny Prigozhin ordered it to march on Moscow as he raged about perceived mismanagement of the war in Ukraine.
Russians and governments around the world were preparing for the real possibility of a coup on June 23, before Prigozhin abruptly called off the march.
His soldiers left the southern military HQ at Rostov-on-Don, which they reportedly took over without much resistance, and he is believed to have left for Belarus under the terms of a deal brokered by Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko.
The Kerch Bridge was seriously damaged when a truck exploded while travelling across it last October (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
There are now worries Wagner mercenaries may attack the bridge, amid apparent anger that Putin may be reneging on the deal.
According to the Mirror, Telegram channel InformNapalm shared evidence for these fears.
The channel said: ‘Obviously, saboteurs are expected in Crimea.
The Kerch Bridge had to be restored after a truck was targeted while crossing it last year (Picture: Rosavtodor Press Service)
‘It is possible that some attentive people passed information to the FSB that the Wagnerites are preparing to bring explosives and ammunition to Crimea, because the agreements on the part of the Kremlin have not been fully implemented.’
It is expected that some Wagner fighters will join Prigozhin in exile in Belarus while others will join the regular Russian army.
The delays over security checks for people crossing the Kerch bridge weren’t generally received well.
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Nikolai Lukashenko, appointed by Putin to be in charge of transport in Crimea, said: ‘Staff numbers on the inspection lines have been increased and control over their work has been strengthened.
‘We apologise to citizens for the inconvenience.’
Many Russians are spending the summer in Crimea despite it being a possible target, because Western restrictions mean they can’t head to popular holiday destinations.
A bomb blast on a truck which was driving across the bridge in October last year also caused major damage to the Kerch Strait, and has been blamed on Ukraine.
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It’s over fears Wagner mercenaries are angry following last month’s revolt.