Russia Plans to Build Ring Road Around Azov Sea Through Occupied Ukrainian Territories

Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced plans to build a ring road encircling the Azov Sea, connecting occupied parts of Ukraine with Russian territories. The statement was made during his annual press conference on Decenber 19.

The planned road would pass through Russia’s Rostov Oblast and the occupied Ukrainian cities of Mariupol, Melitopol, and Henichesk in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, before extending to Dzhankoi in Crimea, which Russia has occupied since 2014.

According to Putin, a 40-kilometer segment connecting the Russian city of Taganrog to Mariupol has already been completed. The project aims to bring roads in these areas to “Russian standards” within three years, Putin said.

Additionally, Russia is reportedly constructing a railroad connecting Rostov-on-Don with Crimea. The route would pass through occupied Donetsk, Mariupol, and Berdiansk in Zaporizhzhia region, potentially serving as an alternative to the Kerch Bridge.

The bridge has been a key logistical route for Russian forces but faced repeated disruptions since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier, Russian leader Vladimir Putin proposed a “high-tech duel” to test Western air defense systems against Russia’s Oreshnik missile during his annual call-in program. Suggesting Kyiv as a target, Putin invited Western countries to concentrate their air and missile defense systems there, describing the test as a “21st-century technological experiment.” He claimed the exercise would be “scientifically and strategically useful” for both Russia and the United States.