Railway traffic in Crimea suspended after explosion on tracks

Traffic along the section of railway between Simferopol and Sevastopol has been suspended, according to Oleg Kryuchkov, an advisor to the head of Russia’s government in Crimea.

Telegram channels Baza, Mash and Shot reported that an explosion occurred in the Simferopol region of Crimea on the morning of May 18.

Baza writes that eight train cars transporting grain were derailed as a result of the explosion. A 50-meter (164-foot) stretch of the railway was also reportedly damaged. A large crater was found at the explosion site.

Russian state-run news outlet RIA Novosti reported that “the cause of the incident is under investigation.” Russia’s state news agency Interfax reported that a freight train that was traveling from Simferopol to Sevastopol and carrying grain was partially derailed.

According to Sergey Aksyonov, the Kremlin-appointed governor of annexed Crimea, there were no casualties. Vladimir Konstantinov, the head of the Crimean parliament, said that the “explosion occurred due to the interference of unauthorized persons.”

The Transport Ministry in annexed Crimea expects railway traffic to resume by the evening of May 18.