One of the strategically important stretches of sea is the Kerch Strait . Given its significant strategic importance, this strait has been the source of numerous disputes between Ukraine and Russia. Numerous incidents have occurred in this area over who owns this strategic zone. The most recent incident, in 2014, further underscores the considerable tension between the two countries, particularly since Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea.
In this article we are going to tell you about the characteristics and strategic importance and the constructions that have taken place in the Kerch Strait.
Panorama of the Kerch Strait
The Kerch Strait connects the Sea of ​​Azov to the Black Sea. This constitutes a vital link in the chain connecting Russia to the Mediterranean. Thanks to this strait, Russia can transport resources from the Mediterranean . The construction of the Kerch Strait Bridge was key to consolidating the relationship between Moscow and Crimea after its annexation. This is because the bridge crosses international waters. It was announced that the bridge would be divided to integrate the territory into Russia's transport network, but it has ultimately given Russia control over all maritime routes in and out of the Sea of ​​Azov.
Russia has used the Kerch Strait Bridge as a political and economic weapon. Your reasons for being able to establish legal action for this bridge is that it provides security reasons. For this reason, the Russian authorities subject merchant ships passing under this bridge to lengthy inspections. These inspections, many times, can take up to several days. These merchant ships are mainly destined for the Ukrainian ports on the Sea of ​​Azov.
This is one of the reasons why the local Ukrainian authorities accuse Russia of being economically suffocating them for the benefit of Russian ports. One of the complaints Ukraine has is that the port of Mariupol is blocked.
Incident in the Kerch Strait
On November 25, 2018, an incident occurred in the Kerch Strait. This happened when a Russian cargo ship stopped three Ukrainian navy vessels. This prompted the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) to file charges against the ships for illegally entering Russian territorial waters. They had violated the national border by not requesting permission to cross the Kerch Strait.
Due to this incident involving Ukraine, Russia fired on and seized Ukrainian vessels off the coast of Crimea. After a lengthy pursuit, two gunboats and a tugboat were captured by special forces. Up to six Ukrainian crew members were wounded during the battle. That same day, the Ukrainian President signed a decree authorizing the imposition of martial law, which was approved by parliament the following day. Given the complex situation in the strait, such events continued until Russia requested a meeting to maintain international peace and security.
Construction of the Kerch bridge
To connect the Black Sea with the Sea of ​​Azov, which separates the Kerch Peninsula from the Taman Peninsula, the Kerch Bridge was built. Both peninsulas now belong to Russia, as Crimea belonged to Ukraine until March 2014. This bridge has a rich history, as the Germans attempted to build it during World War II, but it was ultimately the Russians who succeeded . The section where the bridge is built is the narrowest in the region, only 5 kilometers long.
In 1944 a bridge was built but it could not withstand the harsh winter conditions and one like that ice sheet destroyed it. In May 2015, construction of the bridge for both vehicles and rail transport began. In this strait the bridge is approximately 19 kilometers long, being 12 kilometers maritime route.
There is some criticism of the project, mainly due to the geological conditions found there. It is said that the project was abandoned because the bedrock was limestone and contained many karst cavities. This makes the bridge unfeasible, and it is claimed that a sufficiently in-depth geological and technical investigation was not carried out. Those who support the project argue that it cannot be undertaken without a thorough investigation. The entire area has been investigated, and both static and dynamic load tests have been performed on the piles. Thanks to these load tests, the foundation has been stabilized.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the Kerch Strait.