NPR

Putin's Bridge Linking Russia To (Annexed) Crimea Opens

The Russian leader jumped behind the wheel of an orange dump truck, leading the charge across the 12-mile bridge connecting the two regions for the first time in history.

Russian President Vladimir Putin inaugurated a bridge that connects Crimea to Russia, saying, "A miracle has come true," on Tuesday.

The 12-mile bridge embodies Putin's achievement of "reunification," whereby Russia, flexing its military might, annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. It's widely seen as another step in cementing Russia's control over the Black Sea peninsula.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR3 min readAmerican Government
House Foreign Aid Bills Advance With Democrats' Help; Johnson May Still Be In Peril
With Democratic support, the legislation overcomes a major procedural hurdle and is expected to head to a weekend vote by the full House.
NPR4 min read
'When I Think Of You' Could Be A Ripped-from-the-headlines Hollywood Romance
Myah Ariel's debut is like a fizzy, angsty mash-up of Bolu Babalola and Kennedy Ryan as the challenges of doing meaningful work in Hollywood threaten two young lovers' romantic reunion.
NPR4 min read
A Portrait Of Haitians Trying To Survive Without A Government
Haiti is on the verge of collapse, with little to no government. But many Haitians have already learned to live without the support of the state, as NPR discovered traveling to Cap-Haïtien.

Related Books & Audiobooks