Russia files a case against American journalist who suggested blowing up the Crimean Bridge
The Russian Investigative Committee initiated criminal proceedings against a journalist from the Washington Examiner, an American political journalism website, who wrote that Ukraine should destroy the Crimean (Kerch) Bridge, reported the press-center of the Investigative Committee.
"The investigation suggests, Tom Rogan’s piece published in the public domain on the Internet contains signs of public calls for criminal activities on the territory of the Russian Federation aimed at destabilizing activities of authorities of the Russian Federation and influencing their decisions, which is a crime under Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation,” the statement reads.
Earlier, Rogan wrote that Ukraine should just blow up the Crimean Bridge because, according to him, it is an outrageous infringement on Ukraine’s image as a nation.
Russian law enforcement officers are employing psycho-linguistic expertise and other investigative actions to clarify all circumstances of this alleged crime. The Investigative Committee is also investigating the editor of Washington Examiner who allowed the material to be published.
The official opening of the road section of the Bridge through the Kerch Strait took place on May 15. It was attended by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. The 19-km Bridge connects the annexed Crimea and Krasnodar Krai. The cost of its construction was 6.9 billion rubles or 111 million dollars.
The USA, Canada and the European Union condemned the construction of the bridge, calling it a violation of Ukraine’s State sovereignty. President Poroshenko and the Ukrainian Foreign Minister reiterated the lawsuits against the Russian Federation regarding the illegal construction in the waters of the Azov Sea.