Russia's Controlled Territories Busy Building Roads: Strengthening Military Control, Fully Utilizing Resources

According to Reuters earlier reports, Russia is systematically integrating Ukraine’s Russian-controlled territories into its own economy and infrastructure system. Since gaining control of the region in 2022, the Russian government has invested nearly $12 billion in roads, railways, ports, and industrial facilities across the Russian-controlled areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporozhye, and Kherson oblasts. A core project in southern Ukraine’s Russian-held regions is the creation of a transportation network dubbed “Novorossiya,” with plans to construct and upgrade over 2,500 kilometers of highways and rail lines.

Yurii Skibitsky, Deputy Director of Ukraine’s Security Service, stated that Russia is actively building supply chains to support its military operations, with the primary task being the establishment of a transportation infrastructure network. This initiative aims to create the "Azov Sea Ring Route"—a comprehensive network of roads and railways that would enable full control over the entire Azov Sea region, allowing Russia to achieve its core strategic objective: binding occupied territories to Russia both militarily and economically, ensuring long-term control.

The next step in this strategy involves restoring the ports of Mariupol and Berdiansk for grain and coal exports. Despite the fact that Russia has already been extensively exporting resources—such as minerals, grain, and metallurgical products—from southern Ukraine since its occupation, it continues striving to fully integrate these controlled regions into the Russian system.

The "Azov Sea Ring Route" enables the Kremlin to achieve multiple objectives simultaneously: facilitating military oversight, enabling rapid troop redeployment, constructing large-scale infrastructure networks for Russian use, and reinforcing economic integration.

Besides roads and railways, Russia also plans to transfer Ukrainian resources—especially mining areas—to Russian companies; incorporate the local economy into Russia’s financial and tax systems; and establish new logistics chains oriented toward Russia.

Oleksandr Kuryshko, Ukraine’s presidential representative for Crimean affairs, said Russia’s construction of economic infrastructure in eastern and southern Ukraine mirrors what occurred during the annexation of Crimea, though this time it is happening at a much faster pace.

"Based on our analysis, what Russia has achieved in newly occupied areas over three years equals the work done in Crimea over ten years. Their actions are extremely fast, heavily funded, and far more advanced than their efforts in Crimea back then."

These facilities serve not only economic purposes but also military logistics.

This Reuters report has drawn criticism from Peter Andriushenko, Director of the Center for Occupation Issues.

"The Mariupol bypass road is indeed under construction—this is the only new road. Showing satellite images—after reporting dozens of ground-level roads—is quite an achievement. The Mangush bypass has existed for years; it's just being repaired and slightly widened now. The railway has been publicized for four years—this is probably the only thing that hasn't changed."

Andriushenko also claimed that the Reuters report was “clickbait-driven” in headline, but in reality, the "Azov Sea Ring Route" already exists, with Russian forces daily conducting large-scale troop movements along this mainline.

Previously, Putin approved legislation allowing administrative bodies in the four newly annexed regions to seize housing, apartments, and rooms deemed "unclaimed property."

The Russian government may be planning a "mass ethnic migration" program in the occupied territories, involving relocating large numbers of Russian citizens into these areas, accompanied by extensive construction and new development plans.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861123337123849/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.