<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">The bridge linking Russia to Crimea has partially reopened a day after it was attacked, the Russian government says.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Vehicles were using a single lane of the bridge across the Kerch Strait, an official said, posting clips.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A holidaymaking couple were killed and their daughter injured in the attack on the bridge which Russia blamed on seaborne drones launched by Ukraine.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Russia refused to extend a deal to export grain from Ukrainian ports but denied this was retaliation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Condemning the attack on the bridge as an act of terrorism against a critically important transport link, Russian President Vladimir Putin did however vow that the Russian military would respond.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ukraine's air force has warned of overnight drone strikes by Russia on Odesa and other southern cities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Posting video appearing to show cars crossing the bridge at night, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin said he hoped two-way traffic could be restored by mid-September.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Russia's transport ministry says the bridge's supports were not damaged in the attack, which ruptured the span.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Kerch Bridge was opened in 2018 and enables road and rail travel between Russia and Crimea - Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia in 2014 after an internationally unrecognised referendum.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The bridge's parallel railway line seems not to have been damaged.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ukraine has not officially said it carried out the attack but a source in its security service told BBC Russian it was behind it and that water-based drones had been used.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As yet, the BBC not seen any visual evidence to confirm the reports.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The bridge is an important resupply route for Russian forces occupying parts of southern Ukraine since they invaded on 24 February of last year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The new attack is the second major incident on the Kerch Bridge in the past year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In October the bridge was partially closed following an attack. It was fully reopened in February. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of attacking the Kerch bridge with the "direct participation" of the UK and the US, but provided no evidence to back up the assertions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there was no connection between the incident and Russia's decision to suspend its participation in a deal allowing Ukraine to ship out grain through the Black Sea.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said hundreds of millions of people facing hunger around the world would "pay the price" for Russia's withdrawal from the deal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He promised the UN would continue efforts to "facilitate the unimpeded access" to global markets of food and fertilisers from Ukraine and Russia.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The US National Security Council Co-ordinator, John Kirby, accused of Russia of resuming an "effective blockade of Ukrainian ports".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Russia will be fully and solely responsible for the consequences of this military act of aggression," he said on Monday. "Indeed, we are already seeing a spike in global wheat, corn and soybean prices just today as a result of Russia's suspension."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said Russia's decision was deplorable. "I call on all UN member states to firmly demand that Russia resume its participation in the deal in good faith and stop its 'hunger games'," he said. "Russia must keep politics out of global food security." BBC</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>