The railway Russia is constructing in the occupied territories of Ukraine, which leads to Crimea, is “a serious challenge” and “an important target” for Kyiv, Andrii Yusov, a spokesperson of Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR), said on March 21.
Moscow started the construction of a railroad between Russia’s port city Rostov-on-Don and occupied Crimea, which would run via occupied Donetsk, Mariupol in Donetsk Oblast, and Berdiansk in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced at the rally on March 18, after the pre-determined presidential election that he won, that the construction of the railroad segment between Rostov-on-Don and Berdiansk was completed.
This is high level strategic disinformation albeit technically possible. Russia lost logistical control over supposedly annexed territories in late december. The rail in question is more important for Russia than it is for Ukraine.
That’s the point. Russia is building the railway from Rostov into Donetsk very south by the coast and then linking it to existing rail, to reduce dependence on the Kerch bridge.
Once this railway is done, their supply capacity is doubled and Kerch becomes a less interesting target.