The hugely expensive Russian project to span the Kerch Strait with a 12-mile bridge in order to create a secure line of supply to Crimea conquered and annexed by Russia in 2014 is scheduled to open by the end of next year:
The huge costs involve not just the bridge, but also rail lines and highways linking to it, as well as a new highway across Crimea. The bridge has sucked up a significant portion of the budget for road and bridge construction throughout Russia, experts said, despite an official denial. The government plans to raise the gas tax in part to help pay for Crimea’s development.
“The fact that some other bridges are not being built, what can I say,” said Mr. Skvortsov, the head of the advisory council. “We are short on bridges and roads. We do not have enough money, so there is a system of priorities.”
It strikes me that broke Russia wouldn't carry out this project if they had any intention of also carrying out an expensive (and uncertain) invasion of southern Ukraine to create a "land bridge" to Crimea.
Of course, Russia still has Crimea and Russian-occupied Donbas. Will Ukraine attempt to retake them?
