Cathedral Mosque. Photo: Pavel MYAGKIH
In 2014, a historic event took place – the Crimea finally returned to its home port. Reunification with Russia was long awaited by all local residents. Only now the infrastructure on the peninsula had to be raised practically from the ruins – there was not a single industry that did not require large-scale reconstruction or construction. As usual, we started with strategic facilities: we laid a reliable transportation corridor, established power and communications, and then began to build social infrastructure and restore places of the cultural and spiritual sphere. The commissioning of large construction projects, objects of national importance were carried out one after another.
Energy and communications
Crimea’s integration into the new social and legal field was hampered by many factors: international sanctions, lack of land communication, and especially the blockade that our hostile neighbors constantly organized. But all the challenges became a kind of springboard, thanks to which quick decisions were made on strategically important issues. In a matter of days after the referendum, all telecom operators left Crimea, and in their place, literally within a week, the first Crimean telecom operator appeared. Today, around five telecommunications operators work stably in the local market. They fully cover the needs of the inhabitants of the peninsula.
TPP Tavricheskaya. Photo: Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation
– Here, of course, there is a sharp contrast with the Ukrainian period, when everything fell into disrepair and practically nothing was built except for shops and luxurious villas of the oligarchs. When all the juices were simply squeezed out of the Crimea. For nine years, unique infrastructure facilities have been created, such as the Crimean bridge, the Tavrida highway, the new Simferopol airport terminal and new power plants. Hundreds of new educational and health facilities have been built, hundreds of kilometers of roads, the head of Crimea, Sergey Aksenov, shares his success.
In the fall of 2015, a blackout occurred on the peninsula, leaving all the inhabitants of Crimea and Sevastopol without electricity or communications. Such an emergency caused the prompt launch of an energy bridge, and then the construction of its own generation capacities. On March 18, 2019, the Tavricheskaya and Balaklava TPPs were put into operation. The project was implemented within the framework of the federal target program “Socio-economic development of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol until 2020”. Thus, the total capacity of power facilities in Crimea amounted to about 2,070 megawatts (MW), while in 2014 the old thermal power plants generated only 162 MW, the shortfall being covered by power supplies from Ukraine.
Now Crimea is completely non-volatile and is no longer afraid of being left without electricity or communications.
wave of crimea
The first sign in a series of large-scale projects of the peninsula was the international airport “Simferopol”, built in the shape of a wave. The first passengers of the new airport complex received on April 16, 2018.
Airport.
Photo: Anastasia MEDINTSEVA
And this is the first Crimean object, which was implemented with public and private investments. The architectural solutions and the comfort of the new airport have made it one of the points of attraction for bloggers, photographers and other creative people. Unfortunately now the large air terminal complex is not accepting passengers due to the current ban. But life goes on, and in November 2022, the airport introduced a modern digital analytics system.
– Despite the forced suspension of flights, we continue working on the introduction of advanced digital solutions that comply with international best practices. The introduction of new approaches to operational processes will allow the airport to reach a new level of service for flights and passengers immediately after the resumption of air traffic”, says Yevgeny Plaksin, General Director of Simferopol International Airport LLC.
Airport. Photo: Simferopol airport press service
Crimean bridge
The construction of the Crimean bridge was followed both in Russia and beyond its borders. The project, which seemed so incredible even in the recent Ukrainian past on the peninsula, literally came to life before our eyes and came true. On May 15, 2018, well ahead of schedule, the facility’s grand opening ceremony took place. On this day, Russian President Vladimir Putin personally drove along the new bridge at the wheel of a construction Kamaz.
Crimean bridge.
Photo: Julia MARKINA
The first passenger cars tested the new highway to Crimea on May 16, and trucks on October 1. In December of the following year, passenger trains were launched along the tracks of the laid train. During the construction of this grandiose object, a red and white cat strayed towards the workers. They called it Bridge. Now the Krymsky Bridge, together with the charming Redhead Bridge, have become symbols of the most recent history of the peninsula.
For the Christmas season, the local authorities plan to increase the capacity of the bridge. In addition, the restoration of this facility continues after the terrorist attack on October 8 of last year.
– The restoration of the bridge after the terrorist attack continues and, I am sure, this process will be completed. This work will be completed on time, – said Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Cat bridge. Photo: Crimean Bridge Information Center
Private investment in social development
If the Crimean Bridge, the Simferopol International Airport and the installations of the power system are already an accomplished story of Russian Crimea, then the construction of the Cathedral Mosque is an event that is happening right now, in front of millions of inhabitants. from Crimea and guests. Of the peninsula.
The history of the creation of the main Muslim sanctuary of Crimea began in 2004, when land was allocated for the future mosque. The client was the Centralized Religious Organization “Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol”.
The object has already entered the construction stage under Russia. The mosque is being built with private money, the client-investor is the non-profit organization Social and Cultural Projects Support Fund, chaired by Russian businessman Pavel Kuznetsov.
Currently, the main construction and installation work on the Crimean Cathedral Mosque is almost complete.
Cathedral Mosque. Photo: SpetsStroyKrym LLC press service
“Now the territory is being improved, air conditioning and ventilation systems are being commissioned, the installation of outdoor lighting has been completed,” said the press service of the general contractor SpetsStroyKrym LLC.
The temple is decorated with four forty-meter minarets, 40 domes and 12 semi-domes. The cathedral mosque will be the highest in Crimea. Its domes are covered with 20 tons of lead. The courtyard of the building is surrounded by marble colonnades along the perimeter.
Already in the summer, the Cathedral Mosque will receive thousands of believers for prayers and will become a center of pilgrimage for many Muslims, and the time of its opening will go down in history not only in the Crimea, but throughout Russia.
– Now the contractor has come up with a serious pace, the towers have been installed there, the supports, electricity have been taken away. It should be finished by the end of summer. There is money in full, the sponsors have provided everything, – noted Sergey Aksenov.
Looking back over the past 9 years as part of the Russian Federation, it’s hard not to notice the transformation of our peninsula. Modern Crimea is becoming more and more comfortable, friendly and modern.
For reference: SpetsStroKrym LLC is part of the IC Group investment holding, founded by entrepreneurs Pavel Kuznetsov in 2021 to implement investment and infrastructure projects in the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol. The company’s portfolio includes a number of large construction projects, businesses in the field of telecommunications, tourism and logistics.
