President Putin inaugurates railway bridge connecting Crimea to Russia

Russian President, Vladimir Putin on Monday inaugurated an enormous railway bridge linking mainland Russia to Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula that he annexed in 2014.

The Russian president stood within the cab of a train for the opening of the 19-kilometre (11.9-mile) bridge, which is that the longest in Europe. The project is meant to bolster links between Russia and Crimea by increasing the transport of cargo and inspiring the flow of tourists. Putin congratulated construction workers on completing the bridge, saying that “it has proven our ability to hold out large-scale infrastructure projects.” He said that 14 million passengers and about 13 million plenty of cargo are expected to manoeuvre across the bridge next year.

While passenger traffic across the bridge will begin immediately, cargo trains won’t begin until next July. The project is meant to bolster links between Russia and Crimea by increasing the transport of cargo and inspiring the flow of tourists.

Putin congratulated construction workers on completing the bridge, saying that “it has proven our ability to hold out large-scale infrastructure projects.”

He said that 14 million passengers and about 13 million plenty of cargo are expected to manoeuvre across the bridge next year. While passenger traffic across the bridge will begin immediately, cargo trains won’t begin until next July.