Ukraine to sue Russia over Crimea bridge

Ukraine is preparing a lawsuit against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s bridge to Crimea, fearing that it will close off the waters of three Ukrainian regions.

Last month, the 19-km road-and-rail crossing of the Kerch Strait connecting Russia to Crimea is now 75% complete, according to Russian officials.

It will be the first land link between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, a region Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 but that is still recognized as Ukrainian by a UN General Assembly majority.

According to Newsweek, citing Kiev-based news agency UNIAN Ukraine’s Ministry of Infrastructure fears the bridge will close the strait to shipping. The narrow Kerch Strait connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov, which is shared by Russia and Ukraine.

Besides Crimea, three Ukrainian regions sit on the Azov coastline, and Ukraine says the bridge will obstruct sea access to them.

“At the moment, a summons is being prepared, and the financial losses from unreceived cargo for the Mariupol and Berdyansk commercial ports are being calculated,” said Ukraine’s deputy infrastructure minister Yuri Lavrenyuk.

“This is a global, political and complex issue, but we will absolutely resolve it,” he added.

By December 2018, Russia hopes the road section of the bridge will be fully operational, with a rail link opening soon after.