Ukraine: Russia opens bridge to Crimea May 15

Event

Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a ceremony on Tuesday, May 15, marking the completion of a bridge between the Crimean Peninsula and mainland Russia. The bridge crosses the Strait of Kerch, connecting Russia’s Krasnodar Krai area to occupied Crimea. Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denounced the project, saying that it violates international law and is an attempt by Moscow to legitimize the Russian annexation of Crimea in March 2014. Motor traffic along the bridge will officially open at 05:30 (local time) on Wednesday, May 16.

Fighting between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists continues to occur daily in the Donbas. The Ukrainian Joint Forces Operation (JFO) headquarters said on Tuesday that their positions were targeted 42 times within the past 24 hours by the separatists. In Luhansk oblast, JFO soldiers were attacked near Zolote, Novozvanivka, and Troyistky. Separatist fighters also fired at Ukrainian positions in the Novhorodske and Butivka coal mine areas of Donetsk oblast. No casualties were reported from the attacks.

Context

Clashes between Ukrainian state forces and the separatists have been taking place on a regular basis despite a number of ceasefire agreements made since 2014. According to the UN, more than 10,300 people have died since the eastern Ukraine conflict erupted in April 2014, soon after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula. The fighting has displaced more than 1.6 million people. The rebels remain in control of a large swath of territory in Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, which are mainly Russian-speaking regions.

Advice

Due to the ongoing conflict, many Western governments advise against travel to the far east of Ukraine, including the cities of Donetsk, Horlivka, Makiyivka, Mariupol, and Luhansk.