Two Russian Bridges Destroyed Near Ukraine

Two bridges collapsed overnight in Russian regions bordering Ukraine, officials said Sunday. Both incidents are being investigated as possible acts of terrorism. In one, seven people were killed and dozens injured, per the AP.

• The first bridge, in the Bryansk region, collapsed on top of a passenger train on Saturday, causing the casualties. The train's driver was among those killed.
• Hours later, a second train derailed when the bridge beneath it collapsed in the nearby Kursk region, which also borders Ukraine. The freight train was thrown off its rails onto the road below, said local acting Gov. Alexander Khinshtein. The crash sparked a fire, but there were no casualties, he said.

• Russia's Investigative Committee, the country's top criminal investigation agency, said in a statement that explosions caused the two bridges to collapse, but did not give further details. Several hours later, it edited the statement, which was posted on social media, to remove the words "explosions" but did not provide an explanation.
• The committee said it would investigate the incidents as potential acts of terrorism.
• A Ukrainian national security official, meanwhile, alleged that the incidents were "false flag" operations by Russia, aimed at manipulating public opinion before peace talks in Turkey on Monday between Russia and Ukraine, per the BBC.
• Photos posted by government agencies in Bryansk appeared to show train carriages ripped apart and lying amid fallen concrete from the collapsed bridge. Other footage on social media was apparently taken from inside vehicles on the road that had managed to avoid driving onto the bridge before it collapsed.

(More Russia stories.)