Why the Kerch Bridge is important for Russia

MOSCOW (AA) – The Kerch Bridge that was damaged in a powerful blast on Saturday provides Russia a critical connection to Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula it illegally annexed in 2014.

The $3.6 billion dollar project runs 19 kilometers (12 miles) over the Kerch Strait that connects the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, making it the longest in Europe.

The road and rail bridge is the sole land link between Crimea and Russia, and has become an integral route for civilian and commercial movement since its inauguration in 2018.

It has four road lanes – two in each direction – that are used by some 40,000 cars per day, while the two railway tracks enable almost 50 trains to move to and from Crimea on a daily basis.

Annually, over 14 million passengers and 13 million cargo shipments cross the bridge.

Saturday’s explosion, which killed three people, is being seen as yet another body blow to Moscow in the Ukraine war, exposing the vulnerability of a strategic land link.

Over the years, the bridge has enabled Russia to move goods and people to and from Crimea with much greater and at significantly lower costs than sea and air routes.

With the freer flow of goods, the crossing proved critical in bringing down prices of various products in Crimea, opened new avenues for development, and facilitated year-round movement of tourists.

The railway link boosted commercial activity at Crimean ports and allowed Russia to ramp up its exports.

In a nutshell, the bridge has bolstered Crimea’s economy, increased commercial activity, and generated employment on the peninsula, according to Russia.

Saturday’s blast could lead to shortages of certain products in Crimea, impact exports from Crimean ports, or worse, bring entire sectors of its economy to a halt due to disruptions in supplies of raw materials.

Although Ukraine has not directly claimed responsibility for the attack, multiple statements by top Ukrainian officials point to the possibility, including presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak, who said the blast is just “the beginning.”

“Everything illegal must be destroyed, everything stolen must be returned to Ukraine, everything occupied by Russia must be expelled,” he said on Twitter.

* Zehra Nur Duz in Ankara contributed to this report​​​​​​​