Russia and China probably planning Crimean undersea tunnel
Russia uses the Crimean bridge for supplies to the Ukrainian front line. However, the connecting line has already been exposed to missile fire from Ukraine. According to a report, a gigantic tunnel could be the solution - and help could come from China.
Russian and Chinese businessmen close to the government have held secret talks about plans to build an underwater tunnel to connect Russia with Crimea. This was reported by the "Washington Post". The hope behind this is apparently to create a transport route that would be protected from attacks by Ukraine.
The talks are said to have been triggered by growing Russian concerns about the safety of the approximately 18-kilometre-long bridge over the Kerch Strait. The bridge, which was built at record speed after the annexation of Crimea in 2014, serves as an important logistics route for the Russian military. However, it remains one of the most important targets for the Ukrainian military and has already been bombed twice by Ukraine.
According to analyst Alexander Gabuyev, Russia wants to use the tunnel to at least ensure supplies to the front line following the lack of successes in the war in Ukraine. There is a "risk that Ukraine will try to permanently disrupt the Kerch Bridge".
Expensive undertaking
As the newspaper reports, US experts see major problems if construction is planned near the existing bridge. Firstly, the costs would amount to several billion dollars, and secondly, no one has ever attempted such an undertaking in a war zone.
According to the report, emails indicate that Chinese Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), one of China's largest construction companies, has signaled its willingness to participate in the project. The messages were made available to the Washington Post by Ukrainian officials who wanted to uncover China's possible involvement, and the establishment of a Chinese-Russian consortium in Crimea is also said to be confirmation of the tunnel construction plans.
The email correspondence states that CRCC is "ready to ensure the construction of railroad and road construction projects of any complexity in the Crimea region". The state-owned company has built many of the largest road and rail networks in China and has forged close ties with Russia in recent years through projects such as the expansion of the Moscow metro.
Chinese ask for secrecy
The Russian side is not naming any individuals involved in the consortium, which is a common practice to avoid Western sanctions. CRCC would also prefer to keep the project secret. An email emphasizes that CRCC will only participate under the "strict condition of absolute confidentiality" and that the company's name will be replaced in all contracts by "another unaffiliated legal entity". A Chinese bank is also brought into play via the emails, which is prepared to "convert its dollar funds into roubles in order to transfer them to Crimea to finance projects".
Experts on major international transportation projects told the Washington Post that building a tunnel under the Kerch Strait is technically feasible and that China has the necessary know-how and equipment. Nevertheless, it would be a huge undertaking - comparable to the Fehmarnbelt tunnel between Denmark and Germany, which has been under construction for eight years. The project costs more than 8.7 billion dollars and would be the longest tunnel in Europe when it is completed towards the end of the decade.
Accordingly, it is considered unlikely that the Kerch Tunnel can be completed in time to support Russia in its war effort. However, Moscow may see it as a longer-term investment to provide a secure link to an area that could be contested for decades.
The proposed undersea tunnel connecting Russia and Crimea could serve as a backup transport route, avoiding potential attacks from Ukraine, as suggested by the discussions between Russian and Chinese businessmen. The Chinese Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) has expressed interest in participating in the project, as revealed in leaked emails.
Source: www.ntv.de
