Putin drives across Crimea bridge in a Mercedes

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits a bridge connecting the Russian mainland with the Crimean Peninsula across the Kerch Strait, December 5, 2022. Sputnik/Pool via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Monday drove a Mercedes across the Crimean Bridge linking southern Russia to the annexed Crimean peninsula, less than two months since an explosion tore through one of the Kremlin chief's showcase infrastructure projects.

The 12-mile (19 km) road and rail bridge, which was personally opened by Putin in 2018, was bombed on Oct. 8 in an attack Russia said was carried out by Ukraine.