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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Crimea bridge: How Russia is rebuilding its vital link | Crimea bridge: How Russia is rebuilding its vital link |
| (2 months later) | |
| Fire blazing on the rail bridge with the damaged road section below | Fire blazing on the rail bridge with the damaged road section below |
| Satellite images show how a key bridge to the Crimean peninsula, damaged by an explosion in October in mysterious circumstances, has now been largely repaired. | Satellite images show how a key bridge to the Crimean peninsula, damaged by an explosion in October in mysterious circumstances, has now been largely repaired. |
| When it was originally opened in 2018, the Crimea bridge - also known as the Kerch Bridge - was hailed by Russian media as "the construction of the century", four years after Moscow illegally annexed Crimea. | When it was originally opened in 2018, the Crimea bridge - also known as the Kerch Bridge - was hailed by Russian media as "the construction of the century", four years after Moscow illegally annexed Crimea. |
| The explosion has severely hampered Russia's ability to keep its troops supplied, having to resort to a limited ferry service instead. | The explosion has severely hampered Russia's ability to keep its troops supplied, having to resort to a limited ferry service instead. |
| It has also been a major embarrassment for President Putin, given the bridge's importance as both a strategic and symbolic project. | It has also been a major embarrassment for President Putin, given the bridge's importance as both a strategic and symbolic project. |
| What caused the explosion on the Crimean bridge? | What caused the explosion on the Crimean bridge? |
| How has Russia been rebuilding the bridge? | How has Russia been rebuilding the bridge? |
| Repairs to the bridge had been scheduled for completion in July 2023. | Repairs to the bridge had been scheduled for completion in July 2023. |
| Although not yet fully completed, construction appears to be ahead of schedule. | Although not yet fully completed, construction appears to be ahead of schedule. |
| The process of clearing damage and starting repairs began shortly after the explosion on 8 October. | The process of clearing damage and starting repairs began shortly after the explosion on 8 October. |
| Cranes on barges were floated out to the site to remove four sections of road that had collapsed or broken. | Cranes on barges were floated out to the site to remove four sections of road that had collapsed or broken. |
| By the end of October, the bridge was ready for new construction. | By the end of October, the bridge was ready for new construction. |
| During November, cloud cover made analysis via satellite images of the reconstruction impossible, but social media posts from Russian sources and regional news stories give further insight into the process. | During November, cloud cover made analysis via satellite images of the reconstruction impossible, but social media posts from Russian sources and regional news stories give further insight into the process. |
| Images show that pre-made sections of carriageway were carried to the damaged site on top of giant flat-bed transporters - a journey which took seven hours from the Russian coast. | Images show that pre-made sections of carriageway were carried to the damaged site on top of giant flat-bed transporters - a journey which took seven hours from the Russian coast. |
| Cranes positioned on the stable sections of bridge then laid them into place. | Cranes positioned on the stable sections of bridge then laid them into place. |
| Work began to repair the bridge days after the explosion | Work began to repair the bridge days after the explosion |
| Finally, the new sections of carriageway were given an asphalt surface. | Finally, the new sections of carriageway were given an asphalt surface. |
| "The bridge has certainly been repaired much quicker than the timescales common in civilian engineering projects," says Dr Andrew Barr, a civil and structural engineering researcher. | "The bridge has certainly been repaired much quicker than the timescales common in civilian engineering projects," says Dr Andrew Barr, a civil and structural engineering researcher. |
| "But the resource prioritisation involved in restoring a military and political asset changes things significantly, especially in a country at war," he adds. | "But the resource prioritisation involved in restoring a military and political asset changes things significantly, especially in a country at war," he adds. |
| A Kremlin video which it says shows President Putin driving across the bridge | A Kremlin video which it says shows President Putin driving across the bridge |
| President Putin made a visit to the bridge on 5 December, and the Kremlin posted a video which it says shows him driving a vehicle along the repaired section, being told about the project. | President Putin made a visit to the bridge on 5 December, and the Kremlin posted a video which it says shows him driving a vehicle along the repaired section, being told about the project. |
| At one point, Mr Putin was told by a worker that traffic had been due to resume on 20 December, but that "accelerated construction" had allowed the section he was on to open sooner than that. | At one point, Mr Putin was told by a worker that traffic had been due to resume on 20 December, but that "accelerated construction" had allowed the section he was on to open sooner than that. |
| How badly was the bridge damaged? | How badly was the bridge damaged? |
| The bridge carries both road and rail traffic across the Kerch Strait between Russia and the Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014. | The bridge carries both road and rail traffic across the Kerch Strait between Russia and the Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014. |
| Satellite images reveal that a blast caused sections of one of the two road carriageways to collapse into the sea, with just part of it visible above water. | Satellite images reveal that a blast caused sections of one of the two road carriageways to collapse into the sea, with just part of it visible above water. |
| Satellite imagery showing the damaged section after the blast in October | Satellite imagery showing the damaged section after the blast in October |
| The blast also set light to fuel containers on a passing train on the adjacent rail bridge, but that was reopened soon afterwards. | The blast also set light to fuel containers on a passing train on the adjacent rail bridge, but that was reopened soon afterwards. |
| The damaged part of the road bridge was 900ft (274 metres) long. | The damaged part of the road bridge was 900ft (274 metres) long. |
| Three people died in the explosion. The bridge has been closed to heavy road traffic ever since, although some light traffic has been allowed to use it. | Three people died in the explosion. The bridge has been closed to heavy road traffic ever since, although some light traffic has been allowed to use it. |
| The cause of the blast remains a mystery. Russian officials said it was a terrorist act by two men from southern Russia who had been driving a truck across the bridge when the explosion happened. | The cause of the blast remains a mystery. Russian officials said it was a terrorist act by two men from southern Russia who had been driving a truck across the bridge when the explosion happened. |
| Other theories suggested the bridge could have been attacked using a boat-launched missile or a maritime drone. But there's been no confirmation on the Ukrainian side of any of these possible explanations. | Other theories suggested the bridge could have been attacked using a boat-launched missile or a maritime drone. But there's been no confirmation on the Ukrainian side of any of these possible explanations. |
| How important is the Crimean Bridge? | How important is the Crimean Bridge? |
| The bridge is the longest in Europe. It's 19km (12-mile) long and spans the Kerch Strait between Russia and Crimea and is the only direct road and rail link between the two. | The bridge is the longest in Europe. It's 19km (12-mile) long and spans the Kerch Strait between Russia and Crimea and is the only direct road and rail link between the two. |
| It cost £2.7bn to build and was seen very much as President Putin's personal project, a vital supply link for the Russian war effort in Ukraine and symbolising a new political connection with Crimea. | It cost £2.7bn to build and was seen very much as President Putin's personal project, a vital supply link for the Russian war effort in Ukraine and symbolising a new political connection with Crimea. |
| It is crucial for supplying goods such as fuel and food to the civilian population there, and to the naval base at Sevastopol, which is home to Russia's Black Sea fleet. | It is crucial for supplying goods such as fuel and food to the civilian population there, and to the naval base at Sevastopol, which is home to Russia's Black Sea fleet. |
| Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine last February, the bridge has also become a major route for supplying Russian forces in southern Ukraine. | Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine last February, the bridge has also become a major route for supplying Russian forces in southern Ukraine. |
| Related Topics | |
| Russia-Ukraine war | |
| Russia | |
| Crimea | |
| Reality Check | |
| Ukraine |