Russia completes fence between Crimea and Ukraine

Russian authorities say they have completed construction of a “defensive” fence dividing the Crimean Peninsula, which rejoined Russia in a 2014 referendum from Ukraine.

Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said the construction of the 60-kilometer-long fence on the Crimea-Ukraine border had been completed and that the barrier would help to prevent possible border violations and strengthen cross-border security.

The barrier, starting in 2015 at a total cost of $2.9 million, is equipped with sensors and CCTV cameras to protect Russia's southern border against "reconnaissance and sabotage groups."

"The fencing anti-intruder complex was completed and put into operation on December, 2018. It is equipped with a vibrating sensor," said Vasili Kochetkov, captain of the FSB’s border guard unit.

"The intrusion of sabotage groups in Crimea through the border is one of the current challenges. So this complex is able to detect the intruder when he approaches the fence as well as in the very moment of him crossing the border."

Kochetkov added that the barrier would also prevent "attempts by criminal groups to smuggle weapons, ammunition, tobacco, alcohol, gasoline, drugs" and other items.

The rejoining of Crimea to Russia came following political changes in Kiev where a pro-Western movement staged weeks of street protests that led to the ouster of elected President Viktor Yanukovych.

People in Crimea and in the industrial eastern territories of Ukraine, areas which are dominated by ethnic Russians, effectively refused to endorse the new administration in Kiev.

Crimea decided to rejoin Russia in a referendum in March 2014 and two provinces in the east revolted by establishing self-declared republics.

Washington and allies in Europe have slapped rounds of economic and security sanctions on Russia over Moscow’s alleged interference in Ukraine, especially in the two eastern provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk, where pro-Russia groups have been battling the Ukrainian military forces for the past four years.

Russia has downplayed the sanctions as insignificant while denying the West’s accusation of support for the militia in eastern Ukraine.

However, Moscow insists it will intervene militarily if it feels Kiev is suppressing the ethnic Russian population living in areas close to the Russian border.

SS