An official opening ceremony took place on Tuesday over the Kerch Strait. Footage of Putin at the wheel of an orange KAamAZ truck has spread worldwide. This was a happy moment for all of Russia, especially for millions of Crimeans. Basically, Crimea is no longer an island. The solid foundation of the bridge forever connects Crimea to our country's mainland.
Our correspondents, Olga Armyakova and Pavel Zarubin report on this historical moment.
This is the very column of KamAZes that will drive across the brand-new Crimean Bridge. What used to be a dream has become a reality.
Vladimir Putin:Shall we?
- Let's go.
- Ready?
- Yes. Special horn signal, please.
- Let's go.
"Road closed" "Crimean Bridge" "Safe travels!"
Putin previously promised that he would definitely drive a vehicle across the Crimean Bridge. It turned out to be a KamAZ, which is traditional for opening such objects. Workers who finished the project ahead of schedule are in the cab with Putin.
Vladimir Putin: I don't know if this timetable is even possible anywhere else, it was only 2 years and 3 months.
- We assembled the arches in 9 months.
- Here, people don't work for the money, they work for the idea. These people spent whole days and nights here.
- My kid was born here.
- Congratulations!
- Thank you, thank you very much.
- Great job.
Three dozen orange trucks drive across the snow-white bridge, as if they were conquering the sea which before never obeyed anyone.
- What are you feeling today?
- The main road, Crimea.
Powerful ice storms, loose mud, seismic hazards: it seems that everything that could interfere with the construction process is here.
- We reported in good spirits, but we were still scared. It took us 12-15 days to drive the first piles.
Vladimir Putin: The team told me.
- Yes.
- Then, the guys…
- They got scared.
- They were at first.
- How deep is the silt?
- The silt was 20-65 feet deep.
- That's horrible.
The column of KamAZes moves across the Crimean Bridge for the first time in history. Thousands of workers from all over Russia have proven once again that nothing is impossible for Russia.
"We feel proud of fulfilling our duty".
"The project of the century, of course it was hard".
"A grand feeling, we're overwhelmed by pride and joy. Everyone had one goal, one bridge."
- A little further.
- That's it.
- Great job.
- Congratulations!
- Let's turn it off.
After fifteen minutes, Putin has driven from Taman to the Crimean shore.
- Thank you so much.
- Thank you.
Vladimir Putin: "Thanks to your hard work and talent, this project, this miracle, has come true. Thank you so much! This is a remarkable result which makes Crimea and the legendary Sevastopol even stronger. And, it brings all of us closer to each other".
CNN: "Let's talk about Moscow's latest step to strengthen control over Crimea. The new bridge now physically connects the mainland of Russia with the peninsula. Basically, it's a monument to the fact that Russia remains adamant, that it won't give in to international criticism, won't even consider the possibility of returning Crimea to Ukraine, which many Western countries are calling for. While using their jagged phrases about annexation and aggression, the Western media reluctantly admits that Russia has done something incredible".
Telefraph.co.uk: "Building a bridge over the notoriously stormy Kerch Strait was not only a geopolitical victory, but also a true feat of engineering".
Many people have noticed that during the trip Vladimir Putin's KamAZ came as close as possible to the truck where Arkady Rotenberg was sitting. When the trip was over, it was impossible to ignore the following footage.
Putin announced the decision to build the bridge, despite its complexity, during a meeting the day after the peninsula was reunited with Russia on March 19th, 2014. It took some large-scale engineering and preparation. The first piles were driven in early 2016. The ground was shaking, making it immediately clear that this object would be here for centuries.
Crimea had waited for such bridge for 100 years, the first building attempts were in Tsarist Russia. Then, Soviet engineers tried to build it, as well as the Germans during WWII. However, all those attempts had failed. Two years ago, at the Crimean construction site, Putin said, 'We will fulfill this historic mission'.
Vladimir Putin: "We will move forward together and with confidence, and only forward".
Putin visited the construction site several times, supervising the project, and talking with workers.
Vladimir Putin: "You're doing necessary work, many people are waiting for this project".
On the opening day, May 16th, all of the entrances for cars and buses were full by 3:00 AM.
"Thank you, all the workers, for building this bridge! Hooray!"
Taisiya Karpova, a 92-year-old war veteran, wanted to see it all with her own eyes.
Taisiya Karpova, WWII veteran: "I couldn't miss such event".
"I had to come for a once-in-a-lifetime chance".
Traffic started to move on all lanes of the Crimean Bridge at exactly 5:30 AM. Our camera crew was situated on the Krasnodar Krai side. The concrete blocks are removed from the road, the KamAZ truck that was blocking traffic is moving. And, so it begins. The Crimean Bridge is open, and traffic is moving. Vehicles quick reach the speed limit. The speed limit here is 55 mph, drivers and passengers talk to each other like nowhere else. It's difficult to stay quiet.
"Super!"
- How does it feel to drive here?
- Awesome!
We're now passing under the Crimean Bridge arch. Nine miles of top-quality road, you go from one shore to the other in just 15 minutes. The most important first impressions.
- It's amazing, it's awesome!
- It's awesome!
- How does the trip feel?
- We're proud of our country.
- How do you like the bridge?
- Great, the road is lovely, it's like we're flying.
- Simply super.
And here is the truly historic meeting, drivers from two shores, Crimean and Taman. They meet here, in the middle of the Crimean Bridge. The first column of motorcycles and cars in history has reached Crimea, while the other column has reached Kuban. Crimea and Russia are forever reunited via the Crimean Bridge.
Maria Zakharova: "Oh, there they are. There are our dear ones".
Maria Zakharova, Russian MFA Spokeswoman was one of the first to drive here, and commented on the Ukrainian President's statement about the opening of the Crimean Bridge.
Maria Zakharova, Russian MFA Spokeswoman: "With this desperate gesture Poroshenko is disgracing Ukraine. At some point, one must admit they're wrong and accept reality, instead of writing mediocre, feeble speeches".
Petr Poroshenko, Ukraine's President: "Russians will find this bridge very useful as a road to use to retreat. After Ukraine restores its sovereignty in Crimea, we'll use it as a link to Kuban, where many Ukrainians live, by the way".
A few minutes into the event with Poroshenko, it began raining heavily. The Kiev media was even embarrassed to show what their Commander-in-Chief looked like. Maidan TV channels were in an unfortunate situation on the day the Crimean Bridge opened.
"The US condemns Russia for opening the Crimean Bridge over the Kerch Strait".
It's all condemnation and indignation now, but only 1.5 years ago, the reporters from the TV channel, 1+1, assured their viewers that there would be no bridge.
"Nobody wants to build a Kerch bridge to Crimea".
"There will be no bridge".
"Nobody realizes that a bridge will never be built, this is just some action to create the illusion of the process".
They showed footage from the TV channel "Rossiya", saying, 'Look at these Kremlin propagandists'.
"335 piles have already been driven with a powerful hydraulic sledgehammer. Each strike exerts 35 tons of pressure".
Speaking Ukrainian: "In every Putin's word, you can hear 'Forget about Crimea, it'll forever be Russian.' 'The topic is closed, we'll no longer discuss it.' There won't be a bridge. There just won't. They will drive their piles for dozens of years".
On the opening day, many Ukrainians decided to check out everything with their own eyes, posting the footage online.
Viktor Petrovsky, a Ukrainian blogger: "This is for my Ukrainian audience. Let me tell you, this isn't an inflatable bridge, it's real, it's made of asphalt. The road is top-quality, this is a job well-done. They did what they said they would".
The blogger from Nikolaev, Ukraine might face at least administrative fees for, as they say in Kiev, 'visiting occupied Crimea via illegitimate transit points.' Kiev's political channels have begun a new campaign, saying that the bridge has been built, but it won't last long.
"Everyone who gloats that it'll fall apart should build something themselves. I have another problem with this. It's embarrassing to cry like this. We've had an unfinished memorial bridge in Podol for 15 years, I think. And it's not even 9 miles long".
Another channel was discussing Russian occupants who built the Crimean Bridge, while standing under one of Kiev bridges. This is how it looked.
There will be much more news about the Crimean Bridge in the near future. A lane for trucks will open soon, and railroad line will open in a year as well. Construction continues for the Tavrida highway to ensure great roads on and around the bridge. Two new lanes to Simferopol will open by the end of the year. The highway is to have all lanes open by 2020.
Vladimir Putin: "We will continue to work on similar projects all throughout the country. Yes, all over the country. We'll build new roads, new bridges, new airports, and harbors. We'll make our people's lives better and more dignified. We'll definitely succeed because we have such wonderful, talented people like you. I congratulate you all and wish you great new successes. Thank you very much."
"Mr. President!"
"Hooray!"
Vladimir Putin: "You're the best people and the best workers. Thank you".
