Budanov warns Russian railway in occupied Ukraine can pose 'a serious problem’

The railway Russia is building in the occupied parts of Ukrainian regions could pose "a serious problem" for Kyiv, Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's military intelligence chief, warned on March 31.

Budanov added that he believes that Ukraine will be able to cope with the issue but didn't elaborate on the details.

Moscow has been constructing a railroad between Russia's port city Rostov-on-Don and occupied Crimea, as an alternative to the Crimean Bridge, running via key occupied and strategic ares, such as Donetsk and Mariupol in Donetsk Oblast and Berdiansk in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Crimea is the key logistics hub for Russian forces in southern Ukraine.

“Russia has actually been building a railway for over a year now to connect with our temporarily occupied southern territories. This process is almost complete, and it could pose a serious problem for us,” Budanov told the national television.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced at a rally on March 18, after the pre-determined presidential election that he won, that the construction of the railroad segment between Rostov-on-Don and Berdiansk was completed.

Andrii Yusov, a spokesperson of the military intelligence agency (HUR), said on March 21 that the railway Russia is constructing in the occupied territories of Ukraine is “a serious challenge” and “an important target” for Ukrainian forces.

Due to Ukraine's frequent attacks on Crimea, the Crimean Bridge “is not fully operational,” Yusov said.

“(Russians) are not satisfied with what is happening with the Crimean Bridge,” Yusov said. “Therefore, they are trying to strengthen the railroad connection.”

Yusov said that Ukraine's “mission” is to prevent Russia from completing the construction.

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The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova