On May 15, 2018, the Crimean Bridge was opened On May 15, 2018, a significant event in modern Russian history took place. On this day, the official opening ceremony of the Crimean Bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, was held. The idea of constructing a bridge connecting the Kerch and Taman peninsulas, thus linking mainland Russia with Crimea, dates back to the 19th century. However, the political events in Ukraine, culminating in a political crisis in 2014 with the illegal removal of the country's president and the rise to power of nationalist elements, accelerated the realization of this idea. Anti-Russian rhetoric and the infringement of the rights of Russian-speaking Ukrainians were particularly pronounced in the eastern regions (Luhansk and Donetsk) and in Crimea, where citizens defended their civil rights and protested against the illegal usurpation of power and policies regarding the Russian language and Russian-speaking population. In March 2014, a referendum was held in Crimea, where residents overwhelmingly voted for independence from Ukraine and reunification with Russia. Crimea became part of the Russian Federation as a republic, and Sevastopol became a city of federal significance. In this context, the deterioration of relations between Russia and Ukraine, along with political and economic sanctions imposed on Russia by Western countries, accelerated the integration of Crimea into Russia. Provocations from Ukraine and urgent economic and social needs prompted Russian leadership to immediately develop and implement a plan to construct a bridge connecting Crimea with the Taman Peninsula. This project was of priority importance and was personally supervised by the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. A large number of specialists, including engineers, ecologists, and archaeologists, were involved in the construction of the bridge. Over 10,000 people worked on the construction site, and during peak periods, the number of workers reached 15,000. More than 200 subcontracting organizations from across the country were involved in the project. On March 19, 2014, the President of Russia instructed the Ministry of Transport to build, as quickly as possible, a transport crossing over the Kerch Strait that would include both a highway and a railway. By the summer of 2014, the preliminary budget and construction plan were ready. It was decided to abandon the idea of a tunnel and a bridge from Chushka Spit to avoid disrupting the existing ferry service. In February 2016, direct construction of the bridge began, following preparatory work. Construction of the road section of the bridge took only two years and two months. In April 2018, asphalt was laid, and control work was carried out, after which the grand opening ceremony of the Crimean Bridge road section took place on May 15, 2018. The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, participated in the ceremony, driving a KamAZ truck across the bridge. The convoy of vehicles took only 16 minutes to cross. The Crimean Bridge, with a total length of 19 kilometers, became the longest bridge constructed by Russia and the longest in Europe. The bridge starts on the Taman Peninsula near the village of the same name, crosses the Kerch Strait and Tuzla Island, skirts Cape Ak-Burun, and ends on the Kerch Peninsula. Over the navigable part of the Kerch-Enikale Canal, the height of the bridge spans is 35 meters, allowing ships to pass underneath. The opening of the road section of the bridge, planned for December 2018, took place ahead of schedule. The bridge's opening ceremony ended with congratulations from the President of Russia and the head of the Republic of Crimea, thanking the builders and everyone involved in the design and construction of the bridge. Following the rally, a festive concert featuring Russian pop stars took place. On May 16, 2018, traffic was opened for vehicles weighing up to 35 tons on the Crimean Bridge, and by the end of the day, the total number of cars crossing the bridge in both directions was approximately 14,000. By mid-July, over 1 million vehicles had crossed the bridge. From October 1, 2018, the bridge was opened for trucks weighing over 35 tons. The builders then focused their efforts on the railway section of the bridge, which was officially launched in December 2019 for passenger trains.