Tuzla Island: On the anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, President Vladimir Putin, on Friday call upon workers for building a bridge between the Black Sea peninsula and Russia to fulfil an “historic mission” conceived by a Russian tsar.
The internationally recognised Ukrainian
territory of Crimea was annexed by the Russian Federation on 16 March 2014. The military intervention
and annexation by Russia took place in the aftermath of the Ukrainian Revolution and was part of wider unrest across southern and eastern Ukraine.
Crimea remains largely cut off overland from Ukraine, depending on ships to keep it resupplied from Russia. But Putin needs to ensure public attitudes do not sour over the economic costs.
When the cities around Russia prepared to celebrate the second anniversary of Moscow’s “reunification” of Crimea, Putin visited the site and announced that the bridge, will be laid,which will stretch 12 miles across the Kerch Strait, would integrate the peninsula with Russia.
He said, “Our and your predecessors understood the importance of this bridge.” The bridge will be built by a company owned by Putin’s judo partner Arkady Rotenberg.