Russia opens bridge to Crimea

Russian President Vladimir Putin drove a truck at the unveiling of a new road-and-rail bridge that links Russia to the annexed Crimean peninsula on Tuesday, four years after the peninsula was incorporated into Russia.

Built at a cost of 3.60 billion USD, the bridge is reported to be the longest dual-purpose span in Europe. The bridge was inaugurated just ahead of tourist season to facilitate the Crimean Peninsula in its welcoming of about 6 million visitors this year.