Putin’s False Start On Kerch Bridge

On May 15 Russian President Vladimir Putin got behind the wheel of an orange Kamaz lorry, leading a column of identical dump trucks along the Kerch bridge to occupied Crimea. The ceremonious drive marked the official opening of the motor vehicle section of the illegally constructed bridge that would link mainland Russia to the Kremlin-occupied Crimea.

In Kerch, he congratulated the workers and builders. The event was widely broadcast by Russian media. Outside of the Russia, it met a different reception.

Russian President Vladimir Putin at the wheel of a Kamaz truck, preparing to cross the new bridge across the Kerch Strait in occupied Crimea. May 15, 2018 Photo: EPA-EFE / ALEXEI DRUZHININ / POOL

The European Union spokesperson called the partial opening of the bridge another violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity by Russia. According to the statement, “the construction of the bridge aims at the further forced integration of the illegally-annexed peninsula with Russia and its isolation from Ukraine of which it remains a part”. Furthermore, it creates an obstacle for the passage of vessels via the Kerch Strait to Ukrainian ports in the Azov Sea.

Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavel Klimkin on Twitter called the bridge “the path to nowhere." President Petro Poroshenko was more specific about its direction: the bridge "will be necessary for the invaders when they urgently leave our Crimea."

History of Construction

The construction of the Kerch bridge, connecting Crimea with Russia, has been a part of several political campaigns before Russia’s occupation of the peninsula. Both Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yanukovych made a start on building the bridge.

It was during Yanukovych's presidency that an agreement on the intent to construct the link was signed. Ukraine would exit this contract in 2014, following the occupation of Crimea. However, it seems that, aside from Putin voters, no one took this idea seriously. That is, before Russia’s illegal annexation of the peninsula.

Russian President Vladimir Putin opened a section of the illegally erected Kerch bridge to car traffic in annexed Crimea. The bridge connects mainland Russia with the annexed peninsula. May 16, 2018. Photo: EPA-EFE / ALEXANDER NEMENOV / POOL

The first order to build a bridge across the Kerch Strait was given by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev at the height of the operation to occupy Crimea, on March 3, 2014. They ordered the set up of a joint-stock company, which would later become the client ordering the construction of the bridge.

Crimeans were told about the construction plans, which swung between a bridge and tunnel across the strait, until they decided that it would be a bridge after all, at 19.3 km, running through Tuzla Island instead of a much shorter version through Chushka Spit.

Construction of the bridge across the Kerch Strait, March 14, 2018. Russia began to build the bridge after the annexation of the peninsula. It runs for 19 kilometers. Photo: EPA-EFE / YURI KOCHETKOV

After occupied Crimea was placed under European and American sanctions and it became clear that there would be no private investors, the scheme was simplified. The client was identified as the State Road Construction Administration "Taman" and the general contractors were Putin's friends. Arkady Rotenberg, Russian tycoon and co-owner of construction giant Stroygazmontazh, received the contract after billionaire Gennady Timchenko knocked it back.

Along with the length of the bridge and the transfer of the order between Putin's friends, the cost had also increased - from 28 billion rubles (about $452 million) to 222 billion rubles (about $3.5 billion). The total cost of the bridge, along with access roads and security system, is close to 300 billion rubles (about $4.8 billion).

Opened and Unfinished

The contract for the construction of the bridge was signed in February 2015. That’s when they also approved the work schedule, according to which the bridge should be fully completed in December 2019.

According to the financing schedule, the bridge is far from finished. In 2018, 40 billion rubles (about $645 million) have been allocated for the main construction, with another 11.5 billion (about $186 million) allocated for 2019. This means a quarter of the project is yet to be completed.

There is no stage-by-stage construction schedule in the published documentation. But judging by the text of the treaty, the launch of road and rail traffic along the Kerch bridge should take place this December.

The construction of the highway section of the bridge, opened by Putin on May 15, ended on April 28.

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The speedy opening of the bridge is also indicated by the restriction of movement. Only light vehicles with a speed of up to 90 kilometers per hour are allowed to travel on the bridge. However, the project documents specify that the speed limit on the bridge would be 120 kilometers per hour without restriction for trucks.

Further differences that appear to be present include the height of the arches. In the contract it is specified that they should be at least 35 meters, however according to Ukraine’s Ministry for Temporarily Occupied Territories, the actual height of the arches is 33 meters.

Courts and sanctions

From the very beginning, many experts were skeptical about the project. They argued that it was impossible to realize, citing previous failures to get the project off the ground, its unprofitability, particular geological qualities at the bottom of the Kerch Strait and seismic activity.

Additionally, they also spoke of the high cost of the project- both in terms of its direct expense to the Russian budget, and future losses resulting from the decisions of international courts and sanctions.

Construction of the bridge across the Kerch Strait, May 6, 2018. During construction movement along the Kerch Strait was illegally halted, which led to losses for Ukrainian ports in the Azov Sea. Photo: EPA / MAXIM SHIPENKOV

In September 2016, the United States imposed sanctions against 18 construction, transport and defense companies, among which were organizations that implement the bridge construction project. Among those sanctioned were Institute Giprostroymost, which developed the project, appraisers of the project Glavgosekspertiza of Russia and subsidiary company Stroygazmontazh SGM-bridge. In June 2017, Crimean First Insurance Company, which insured the bridge, also fell under economic restrictions.

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The Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, which is now in Kyiv, is conducting criminal proceedings on the construction of the bridge across the Kerch Strait. Some 10 European companies are suspected of being involved in the construction of the structure.

The Netherlands prosecutor's office announced seven Dutch companies were possibly involved in its construction, bypassing EU sanctions.

Ukraine has sent a petition to the arbitration tribunal of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea on the protection of Ukraine's sovereign interests, in particular, with regard to the illegal erection of the Kerch bridge.

/Translated by Natalie Vikhrov