Russia to create naval brigade to defend Kerch Strait Bridge
Russia intends to create a special naval brigade to ensure the safety of the Kerch Strait Bridge which is currently under construction, Russian National Guard Chief Viktor Zolotov said on October 25 during “government hour” in the Federation Council.
According to him, the naval brigade will be formed by the National Guard.
“In order to deal with the tasks assigned to the Russian National Guard to ensure the safety of the bridge crossing across the Kerch strait, a new naval brigade unit will need to be formed in the newly created Southern District,” the Russian information agency TASS cites Zolotov as saying.
Immediately following the annexation of Crimea in March 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that it would be necessary to build a crossing across the Kerch strait. It was promised that the bridge would be built by 2018, and operation would begin in the summer of 2019.
Ukraine withdrew from the agreement with Russia to construct the bridge in 2014, following Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
The forces of the Russian National Guard were created in 2016 from the former internal forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the special forces of the Russian police. The Russian guard later showed up in annexed Crimea too. The organization’s primary task is to keep the public order and protect a number of officials.