An explosion on a Russian-built bridge connecting Crimea to Russian mainland threatens to escalate the war in Ukraine.
Key points
- Moscow has accused Kyiv of terrorism on the Kerch Bridge, a vital logistical asset damaged by truck bombing.
- This bridge was inaugurated in 2018.
- Built at a cost of $3.6 billion, Kerch was the only bridge connecting the Russian mainland to Crimea after the province was annexed in 2014.
- Kerch Strait Bridge or Kerch Bridge, is a pair of parallel bridges spanning the Kerch Strait between the Taman Peninsula of Krasnodar Krai in Russia and the Kerch Peninsula of Crimea.
- The bridge was named the “Crimean Bridge” after an online vote in December 2017, while “Kerch Bridge” and “Reunification Bridge” were the second and third most popular choices, respectively.
Significance of Kerch Bridge
- The 19-kilometre long bridge serves as a key artery for the supply of military assets and supplies to the Russian armed forces currently stationed in Crimea.
- It also has enormous political significance given Putin’s personal interest in the project.
- The bridge has helped solidify Moscow’s control over Crimea and has been a key symbol of Russian rule.
