Moscow (CNN) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday will mark the opening of the Kerch Strait bridge, a construction project that has become a metaphor for his 18-year rule. The 19-kilometer bridge, now the longest in Europe, links Russia's Krasnodar region with the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014. And its opening, in Russia's official narrative, marks the physical "reunification" of Crimea with the Russian mainland. Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a speech during the opening ceremony of the new bridge connecting Crimea with Russia. But the completion of the bridge to Crimea became a major priority for Putin's government.

Source: CNN May 15, 2018 11:56 UTC