Crimean Authorities Want To Send 'Train Of Friendship' To Germany - Official

Crimean Authorities Want to Send 'Train of Friendship' to Germany - Official

Crimean Minister for Internal Policy, Information and Communications Sergei Zyrianov expressed on Friday an initiative to send a "train of friendship" to Germany via Moscow after opening the railway line on the Crimean Bridge.

SIMFEROPOL (Russia) (Pakistan Point news / Sputnik - 17th August, 2018) Crimean Minister for Internal Policy, Information and Communications Sergei Zyrianov expressed on Friday an initiative to send a "train of friendship" to Germany via Moscow after opening the railway line on the Crimean Bridge.

"The bridge has been constructed and car traffic has been launched. Next year, the railway line will be constructed. After the railway traffic is opened, we will send a train of friendship [en route] Berlin-Moscow-Simferopol. Undoubtedly, that will be one of the first trains [that will cross the Crimean Bridge]. Building friendly relations is very important for us," Zyrianov said at a meeting with a German delegation that is in Crimea.

On May 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin opened the road section of the Crimean Bridge. The Crimean Bridge, which connects the peninsula with Russia's Krasnodar Territory, is the longest in the country. The bridge was initially supposed to open for vehicle traffic in December, but construction was finished ahead of schedule.

Crimea, former Ukraine's territory, rejoined Russia in 2014, when 97 percent of the peninsula's residents voted in favor of the move in a referendum. The reunification was not recognized either by Kiev or the majority of Western countries. Russia has repeatedly said that the vote was held in compliance with international law and following a democratic procedure.