Crimean Bridge, Combined road and railway bridge across the Kerch Strait, Russia and Ukraine
This infrastructure extends over 18 kilometers across the Kerch Strait, connecting Crimean Peninsula with mainland Russia through parallel road and rail sections opened between 2018 and 2019.
Construction began in 2016 following the 2014 annexation of Crimea, replacing failed historical attempts including a Soviet railway bridge destroyed by ice in 1945 and incomplete German projects during World War II.
The structure represents a significant geopolitical symbol in the ongoing territorial dispute, embodying Russian sovereignty claims while remaining contested by Ukraine and international community as illegal construction on occupied territory.
The bridge features four road lanes and double railway tracks, with maximum clearance height of 35 meters limiting passage of large vessels and affecting maritime commercial traffic in the region.
Multiple attacks have targeted the structure since 2022, including truck bomb explosions and drone strikes that damaged sections, highlighting its strategic military importance and vulnerability in the regional conflict.
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