The Crimea bridge is a symbolic victory for Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin opened a new road and rail bridge into Crimea on Monday (December 23), linking the territory annexed from Ukraine to two of Russia's biggest cities.
The president called it a landmark occasion for his country, not only for the symbolism of the event, but also as proof that Russia delivers on big infrastructure projects.
Russia's state-controlled television has compared it to a Soviet era bridge construction that connected Siberia to Russia's far east.
The Crimea bridge cost $3.4 billion and its railways go to Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Russia annexed Crimea five years ago at the height of the separatist conflict in Ukraine.
Since then, Moscow has aggressively pushed the region as a tourist destination.
