ANADYR, February 14. /TASS/. Cars weighting up to 3.5 tons now may cross the Anadyr Firth by an ice road, which connects Anadyr and Ugolnyye Kopi, press service of Chukotka’s emergencies ministry branch told TASS on Tuesday.

"Due to the remaining frosts, now there are two separate ice roads across the Anadyr Firth for light and heavy vehicles," the press service’s representative Ludmila Basova said. "Beginning from today, cars up to 3.5 tons may go by a road which is 7.5 km long, and a road of about 5.5 km long for heavy vehicles up to 5 tons was opened across the Anadyr Firth on February 13."

Right now, she continued, the ice thickness is at least 52cm, but further on the ice will grow allowing trucks of up to 17-20 tons weight use the ice road. More winter roads across frozen waters will open in Chukotka, the press service said.

"Right now, in Chukotka, we have 21 winter roads out of planned 31," the source continued. "We continue the work to build up ice thickness along the biggest ice road in the world - it connects the Pevek city and the Aikon settlement - the road is 120 km long."

"We hope with the continuing frosts the road may be opened by the due time - mid March," she added.

Winter road in Chukotka this year could not be opened in due time, because of the unusually warm January. The delay is about one-two weeks. Meanwhile, these roads are strategically important, as they are used for cargo delivery in winter when sea navigation is closed.