Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Crimean bridge for a careful inspection, riding along with Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin. The trip occurred in a German-made Mercedes, a choice noted by officials as part of the logistics surrounding the visit.
During the briefing, the president was informed that four spans of the bridge had been restored following the explosion. Putin’s route extended from Taman toward Crimea, with Khusnullin noting, “Four openings were rebuilt on this stretch, and the progress is visible.”
The deputy prime minister explained that the metal structures had been assembled on site, with materials sourced from Tyumen, Kurgan, and Voronezh. “In two weeks, 1,214 tons of metal arrived and were installed here,” he stated.
Restoration efforts involved about 500 workers, three floating cranes, four barges, and a broad fleet of construction equipment operating around the clock. Khusnullin added that it took 55 days to complete the restoration, including 22 days marked by a storm that required applying specialized technologies.
Putin drove along the right-hand carriageway and directed Khusnullin to lift the left side to a state of full readiness. The president observed that while the left side was near operational, it had sustained some damage and needed final touches to reach optimal condition.
Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov noted that the deputy president used a German Mercedes for the inspection because the car was readily available at the moment, addressing questions about vehicle choice. He also confirmed that Putin met with the builders during the inspection and had brief conversations with the workers on site.
Against ongoing security warnings from Kiev about potential further strikes, Peskov stressed the importance of the land corridor linking Crimea with Russia, emphasizing the strategic role of the bridge in maintaining steady connections with the mainland.
Terrorist attack on the bridge
Late in the night of October 8, an explosion involving a truck damaged the bridge, collapsing two carriageway openings and igniting the fuel tanks of a passing train. The incident resulted in the loss of four lives.
Earlier reports indicated that explosives had been moved from Odessa to Ruse in Bulgaria and then transported via Georgia to Armavir in Russia, with the blast subsequently attributed by the security services to a Ukrainian operation linked to regional tensions. Authorities noted a rapid reopening of traffic after the blast: car traffic resumed in the opposite direction, and traffic on the railway bridge reopened by evening. A ferry service was deployed to alleviate congestion across the Kerch Strait.
Putin labeled the incident a terrorist attack. The border security and investigative agencies identified the alleged organizer, Kirill Budanov, head of Ukrainian military intelligence, with several others detained in connection with the plot.
Putin’s earlier crossing of the bridge
On May 15, 2018, during the bridge’s grand opening, Putin was seen driving an orange dump truck toward the Crimea. The journey lasted roughly 16 minutes and 45 seconds, and at that moment neither the driver nor the passenger wore seat belts. A belt could be spotted on the president’s left shoulder at the time.
In response to inquiries about the seat belt issue, officials explained that the bridge had not yet received official road status at the moment of the opening. Public road traffic was formally recognized as starting on May 16, with the traffic rules not yet fully regulating the site. The event was described as a ceremonial opening rather than standard road use, and officials indicated that safety provisions were considered in the broader context of the new infrastructure.