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No need to build tunnel under Kerch Strait — Crimean leader

According to Sergey Aksenov, the implementation of the project could be relevant before the start of a special military operation

SIMFEROPOL, January 28. /TASS/. There is no need to build a tunnel under the Kerch Strait, discussed previously by certain media outlets, though technically this is possible, Crimean Head Sergey Aksyonov said in an interview with the region’s TV broadcaster Vesti-Krym (Crimean News).

"Maybe at the start these ideas could have been put into practice, I myself studied some projects. <...> There is no need for this now, the [Crimean] bridge is protected well enough," Aksyonov said.

"It is possible to implement this, I studied the technology, but now it makes no sense whatsoever to build a backup," Aksyonov said.

He added that the implementation of this project might have been relevant before the Russian special military operation started. "Now, there is definitely no point in this. The special military operation will end with the goals that the president has outlined achieved, and after that there will definitely be no need for the tunnel," he explained.

In November 2023, the Washington Post reported that Moscow and Beijing were allegedly discussing plans to build a tunnel under the Kerch Strait that would be protected against Ukrainian attacks. Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegations as nonsense. The Chinese Foreign Ministry refuted the reports. Aksyonov also called this information false.

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