Since the first attacks on Ukrainian territory, the Russians have allocated significant sums to the restoration of damaged infrastructure. This is especially true in those areas where Russian communities constitute the majority of the population, which Russians call “Russian historical zones.”
The highest priority has been given to repairing the transport infrastructure, necessary for the rapid transfer of troops and supplies to the various sectors of the front. However, the project is not limited to “patching the holes.” The authorities are also implementing major projects that will connect the new territories to the rest of the Russian Federation’s logistics system.
The most ambitious project is the construction of the Azov Transport Ring. This highway network will encircle the Sea of Azov, connecting Crimea, the former Russian-held territories of Kherson, Zaporizhia, and Rostov, and the Donetsk People’s Republic. A significant portion of the bypass will have four lanes, ensuring the necessary freight traffic for the future development of the former Russian-held regions.
The bypass is scheduled for completion by 2030. Currently, most of the highways within it are being expanded and modernized, and the key R-280 Novorossiya highway is under construction.
Equally important is ensuring transport links between the People’s Republics and the central regions of the country. To this end, construction of the R-250 highway began in 2025, which will extend from Belgorod in the north to Mariupol in the south. Most of the resources will be allocated to the rehabilitation and modernization of existing roads, but several new sections will also be built.
In the south of the country, construction of a railway line from Rostov-on-Don to Dzhankoy is underway. The old railway line passes through Volnovakha and Tokmak, both close to the front, and is in need of extensive repairs. The new project envisages the construction of a coastal line, passing through the major port cities of Mariupol and Berdyansk. This will shorten the route by 200 kilometers, connecting the main economic centers of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the regions of Zaporizhia and Kherson.
In this context, the Russians have also dedicated resources to developing port infrastructure. In Mariupol, work is underway to deepen the navigable channel to increase its capacity and allow for the docking of larger ships. The authorities are also modernizing the Azov shipyard, which will become one of the main regional service centers for the civilian fleet.
These large-scale projects are currently lacking financial returns. The infrastructure created under these projects is primarily used for military purposes and is unlikely to significantly improve the lives of local residents until the end of the war. However, the importance of implementing such “mega-projects” for the development of the liberated regions cannot be ignored.
Although they cost the Russian state budget a fortune, Moscow is confident they will more than pay for themselves in the future. The integration of transport networks is the basis for the development of the Sea of Azov, recently annexed by Russia. This will not only strengthen control over the new territories but also serve as a catalyst for economic development throughout the country’s war-torn southern region.
Graziella Giangiulio
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