Russia launched two trains from Moscow and Saint Petersburg to the annexed Crimea on Dec. 23 in breach of numerous international resolutions that condemn Russia’s seizure of Ukrainian Crimea, and in violation of Ukrainian law.
Both trains are to pass through the Kerch Strait Bridge, built by Moscow authorities to bypass Ukraine.
Russia celebrated the launch of the trains to the annexed peninsula. The first passengers were promised presents, and Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Crimea on Dec. 23 to open the railway connection.
Crimea Inform news agency published a photograph of Putin posing in the driver’s cab of a train crossing the Kerch Strait Bridge. Prior to it, the strait has been closed for ships for three days.
Both trains, running from Moscow and from Saint Petersburg, are called Tavria, in reference to the old name of the part of southern Ukraine that includes the Crimean peninsula. The trains are operated by Grand Service Express, a private Russian transport company, not by the state-owned monopoly Russian Railways.
Grand Service Express started selling tickets to Crimea on Nov. 8. and announced a sold-out shortly afterward.
The Moscow train gets to Crimea in 33 hours, while the one from Saint Petersburg takes 43 hours.
Earlier, Russian-backed authorities of Crimea said that trains will connect the peninsula with 11 Russian cities.
In November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Special Envoy in Crimea Anton Korynevych said that, if Russia launches trains to Crimea, Ukraine will react and press for more sanctions against Russia.
“What they do is completely illegal,” Korynevych told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on Nov. 13. “Accessing Crimea without passing Ukraine’s checkpoints is illegal.”
