The Kerch Strait is a narrow body of water that serves as the only maritime link between the
Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
📍 Geographic Location
Separates:
- Kerch Peninsula (Crimea, west)
- Taman Peninsula (Russia, east)
- Narrowest Width: 3 to 5 km at the northern Chushka Landspit
- Nearby City: Kerch, on the Crimean side
🛰️ Strategic Importance
- Vital Shipping Route: Allows vessels to pass from the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea,
making it crucial for global trade and military logistics - Conflict Zone: A flashpoint between Russia and Ukraine, especially post-2014 after
Russia’s annexation of Crimea
🌉 The Kerch Strait Bridge (Crimean Bridge)
- Name: Also called the Crimean Bridge
- Opened: 2018
- Structure: Includes both road and rail links
- Length: At 19 km, it is Europe’s longest bridge
- Symbolism: Considered a symbol of Russia’s control over Crimea
- Target of Attacks: Recently struck by a Ukrainian underwater explosion due to its strategic and symbolic significance