Update (2152 EST):
It appears that at least one side of the bridge involving two lanes has been completely separated.
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— SVTV NEWS (@svtv_news) July 17, 2023
At approximately 2024 EST, reports began to emerge of at least two explosions in the sky over Kerch, Crimea. At 2104 EST, locals began to report on social media that a general alarm had sounded for all civilians to clear the bridge and evacuate the area.
At 2125 EST, Republic of Crimea Head Aksyonov confirmed the bridge had been shut down and law enforcement agencies were on scene. Although no fire was reported, he did announce that a partial bridge collapse had occurred around the 145th support beam. By 2140 EST, local media reported that at least two had been killed in the collapse.
This is developing.
This is the same bridge that was targeted earlier in the war by Ukrainian partisans. On 8 October 2022, at 6:07 am, a fire broke out on the Crimean Bridge as a result of an explosion, which occurred on the road bridge, on or under the westbound vehicle lanes running from Russia to Kerch in Russian-occupied Crimea. Two two-lane vehicular spans of the bridge collapsed into the water. Two adjacent eastbound lanes on a separate structure survived. The railway bridge was also significantly damaged by fire on railway tanker cars. Five people were killed, and the Investigative Committee of Russia launched an investigation. (wiki)
