Russia has no goal to seize Ukraine. This was stated by the former commander of the US Land Forces in Europe, General Ben Hodges. In his opinion, all actions of Moscow are aimed at shaking stability in the neighboring country so that weakened Kiev could not claim membership in the EU and NATO. "Therefore, they undermine the Ukrainian naval forces and trade in the Sea of ??Azov," said Hodges in an interview with Apostrofu.. Moreover, Moscow didn’t need multibillion-dollar investments in the construction of the Crimean Bridge to establish communications with the peninsula and not to annoy Kiev..

It was erected as a barrier to warships of the North Atlantic Alliance.. "The big bridge actually serves to block Ukrainian ports, since now big ships cannot get into the Sea of ??Azov and get out of it. Russia wants to dominate the Black Sea region ", - said the General. Earlier in Russia rejected the possibility of holding joint exercises of Ukraine and NATO in the Sea of ??Azov. Traffic on the Crimean Bridge was launched on May 16, 2018. In October alone, over 287 thousand took advantage of the crossing.. motorists, according to RIA FAN, with reference to "Management of federal highways" Taman ". In total, during the operation over 3.059 million cars traveled across the bridge..