Seven Dead, 42 Injured in Russia’s Kursk Region Bridge Collapses

 Two bridge collapses in Russia’s Kursk region on May 29 and 30, 2025, killed seven people and injured 42, highlighting infrastructure decay amid ongoing Ukraine-Russia tensions.

The first incident, on May 29, saw a 50-year-old railway bridge in Sudzha collapse during a freight train crossing, killing three workers and derailing 12 cars carrying grain. The second, on May 30, involved a 1960s-era road bridge over the Seym River in Kurchatov, collapsing under a fuel truck, killing the driver and three motorists, with 30 vehicles stranded. The accidents injured 42, including eight children, with 15 hospitalized in critical condition.

Kursk Governor Alexei Smirnov attributed the collapses to “structural fatigue” and “possible Ukrainian sabotage,” though no evidence supports the latter. Russia’s Investigative Committee launched criminal probes into safety violations, arresting two regional officials. The bridges, critical for supply routes near Ukraine’s border, had not been renovated since 1990, despite 2023 inspections flagging cracks.

Repair costs are estimated at ₽2 billion ($20 million), with temporary pontoon bridges deployed. Residents, like 45-year-old Irina Volkov, criticized neglected maintenance, linking it to war-focused budgets. The incidents, following 10 bridge failures in Russia since 2022, have intensified calls for a national infrastructure audit, with President Vladimir Putin ordering a review by July 2025.