By 31 March, a report on the failure to build the railway to Crimea on time needs to be on the table of Russian president Vladimir Putin: “Taking into account the given orders, [the president decrees] to consider the question of the development of freight and passenger services to Crimea”, a new decree says.
Earlier, Russia planned to finish the direct rail connection to occupied Crimea through the more recently occupied territories of Ukraine by the end of 2024. That deadline has not been met. It is now up to prime minister Mishustin and Russian Railways director Belozyorov to explain the situation by the end of March.
In the decree, Putin takes a particular interest in the development of port infrastructure in the region – Russia occupies various port cities, such as Berdyansk, Mariupol and Sevastopol in Crimea.
Novorossiya Railways
As per March 2024, Russia had built a total of 63 kilometres of tracks on the route and repaired 140 kilometres. The total distance from the Russian border to Crimea overland is approximately 360 kilometres as the crow flies.
Russia planned to spend 11 billion rubles on the project in 2024 (121,3 million euros). It also founded a new rail company to operate in occupied Ukraine: “Novorossiya Railways” (New Russia Railways).
