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Moscow court rules to arrest Ukraine’s defense intel chief over Crimean Bridge blast

According to the court, the Russian Investigative Committee charged Budanov under a total of four articles of the Russian Criminal Code

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. Moscow’s Lefortovo District Court on Friday ruled in absentia to arrest Kirill Budanov, the chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence at the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, in connection with the terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge, the court told TASS on Friday.

"The court granted the motion of the investigation and ruled to apply pre-trial restrictions on Budanov K. A., who is suspected of perpetrating a crime provided for by Section 1 of Article 205.4 (organization of a terrorist group)," the court said.

It said the arrest would keep Budinov in custody for two months.

According to the court, the Russian Investigative Committee charged Budanov under a total of four articles of the Russian Criminal Code. The other articles are for attempted terrorist attack, illegal acquisition of weapons and illegal acquisition of explosives.

A representative of law enforcement agencies told TASS that Budanov is "suspected of complicity in the terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge." He has been put on an international wanted list.

A truck was blown up on the Crimean Bridge on October 8, 2022, with the fire spreading to the fuel tanks of a passing train. Four people were killed in the attack, which also brought down two spans of the bridge’s motorway section. So far, eight people have been arrested in connection with the attack.

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