Stretch of Russian Rail Road Bypassing Ukraine to Become Operational in August

The railroad to connect Russia's Rostov and Voronezh regions bypassing the Ukrainian territory will become operational in August, according to Russian Deputy Defense Minister Gen. Dmitry Bulgakov.

KOLESNIKOVKA, (Voronezh Region) (Sputnik) — The Zhuravka-Millerovo stretch of Russia's double-track electrified rail road bypassing Ukraine will become operational in August 2017, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Gen. Dmitry Bulgakov said Saturday.

"The pace of laying the upper structure of the rail road on the stretches entrusted to the Defense Ministry allows us to complete these works in accordance with the schedule. The rail road will become operational in August," Bulgakov told reporters after arriving in Russia's Voronezh Region to check the progress of the work.

The construction of the railroad to connect Russia's Rostov and Voronezh regions bypassing the Ukrainian territory was launched in 2015. The decision was taken against the background of the conflict in Ukraine to ensure security of passengers and cargo transportation.

The military conflict in Ukraine began in 2014 after eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk refused to recognize the new government that came to power in Kiev. The sides managed to reach a ceasefire agreement in Minsk in 2015, but the situation has remained tense since then. In addition, relations between Russia and Ukraine have seriously deteriorated as Kiev accused Moscow of military involvement in the conflict, which was repeatedly denied by the Kremlin.