Putin opened the Russia – Crimea railway bridge, the longest in Europe

(Patria) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ceremonially opened the new railway bridge connecting the Russian mainland to Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula he annexed in 2014.

The Russian president stood in the driver's cabin of a train during the inauguration of the 19-kilometer-long bridge.

The project aims to strengthen ties between Russia and Crimea by intensifying freight transport and encouraging the flow of tourists.

Congratulating the construction workers who worked on the bridge's construction, Putin said that it has 'proven our ability to carry out large-scale infrastructure projects', and shared the expectation that as early as next year, 14 million passengers and 13 million tons of cargo will cross the bridge.

Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014 after the residents of the peninsula voted in a referendum to join Russia.

The move was met with international condemnation, and the US and EU imposed sanctions on Russia.

The parallel vehicle bridge across the Kerch Strait, which connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, was opened earlier in May 2018, Euronews writes.