Alexander Sukhanov, the deputy head of the Ministry of Transport, is anticipated to resign following the Crimean Bridge explosion, according to multiple RBC sources. The exact timing of his departure remains uncertain, and officials from the Ministry have not issued comments on the situation.
Since July 2020, Sukhanov has served as deputy minister. Prior to this, he spent seven years as a deputy head at Rosaviatsia. In his current role, he is responsible for transport safety matters and oversees the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Service for Departmental Security (UVO) under the Ministry of Transport. The UVO had previously carried out security-related work on the Crimean Bridge.
Historical contracts aimed at enhancing the bridge’s safety totaled more than 12 billion rubles in 2018, with contract end dates continually extended. In April 2022, a new agreement was signed with the Ministry of Transport’s UVO, in conjunction with Public Works and Water Management, for retrofitting the bridge with transport security equipment for 617 million rubles.
Following the October 8 explosion, the responsibility for protecting the bridge was handed over to the FSB, marking a shift in oversight and security duties for the facility. [Citation: RBC reporting]