A huge explosion on Saturday destroyed a bridge connecting Russia and Crimea, along with a road and a train track, destroying a crucial supply line for Russian forces in Ukraine.
Key details concerning the bridge are as follows:
The connection between Russia and Crimea
The only direct connection between Russia’s transportation system and Crimea, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, is the 19-kilometer Crimean Bridge across the Kerch Strait.
The bridge was a groundbreaking undertaking for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who inaugurated it in 2018 with a lavish gala in which he personally operated one of the trucks.
Two different highways, one by land and the other by rail, connect the two sides of the bridge. The Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov meet at this point, where the bridge spans.
A business founded by Arkady Rothenberg, a close associate of Putin who used to play judo with him, built the bridge for a price of $3.6 billion.
What purpose does this bridge serve?
The bridge is crucial for delivering fuel, food, and other supplies to the Crimea.
The port city of Sevastopol, which was formerly the home of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, is located on the peninsula.
On February 24, troops from Crimea were ordered to seize control of much of the Kherson region in southern Ukraine as well as some areas of the adjoining Zaporizhia region, and the bridge also became a key supply route for Russian forces in Ukraine.
The existing land and marine channels could supply such forces completely, the Russian Defense Ministry stated on Saturday.
– What was ruined?
A portion of the road collapsed in one of its directions as a result of the “Saturday” explosion.
Following the accident, traffic was briefly suspended, but by the evening, cars, buses, and heavy cargo vehicles were permitted to traverse the bridge in both directions using the still-operational lanes.
Train service would resume on Saturday night, according to Russian officials.
There was no change in the strait’s passing distance for ships.
Reuters.
Information on the Crimean Bridge
About Author
