On 30 September 2022, international treaties were signed on the entry of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, as well as the Zaporozhye and Kherson Oblasts into the Russian Federation. On the instructions of the country's leadership, the Russian Highways State Company embarked on a grand-scale restoration of road and transportation infrastructure in the rejoined regions.
The primary task was to establish reliable transportation links between the neighboring regions: Belgorod, Voronezh, and Rostov Oblasts, the Republic of Crimea, and those within Donbass and Novorossiya. The overland route to Crimea via historical regions became a priority. Owing to the well-coordinated work of road builders and the pooling of resources, three access roads to the peninsula have been brought up to standard condition by now.
In the aggregate, since 2022, the Russian Highways State Company has restored more than 2,000 km of roads in the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Kherson and Zaporozhye Oblasts (2,082 km in 2022-2024). In particular, road builders refurbished a section of the R-260 Volgograd - Kamensk-Shakhtinsky - Lugansk federal highway on the territory of the Lugansk People's Republic. This is about 80 kilometers from the border with Rostov Oblast to the suburbs of Lugansk, including its bypass.
By the end of this year, more than 700 km of highways that connect settlements inside the republics of Donbass and Novorossiya are to be restored. As of today, about 90% of the planned work has been completed.
Among the sites of this road-construction season is 21 km of the Staropetrovka - Novopetrovka - regional border - Kulikovskoye motorway in Zaporozhye Oblast. As a key transport corridor, this road provides connection of the district center Berdyansk with settlements of Zaporozhye Oblast along the Azov Sea coast and in the Donetsk People's Republic.
Comparable infrastructure development activities are also being implemented in Kherson Oblast. For instance, road builders are renewing the pavement at a 51 km long section from Ivanovka to Rykovo of the Velikaya Lepetikha - Ivanovka - Genichesk motorway.
This road joins two strategic motorways: Odessa - Melitopol - Novoazovsk and R-280 "Novorossiya".
In the LPR, an upgraded section of the Uspenka - Anthracite motorway is 90% ready. This year the Russian Highways State Company is bringing 33 kilometers of the road to the standard-compliant condition. For years on end, the road was practically unsuitable for vehicular passage of any kind. Road-building crews had to restore the road virtually from the ground up. Upon completion of the works, residents of the Antratsitovsky district will save up to half an hour in travel time.
A section of the Donetsk – Novoazovsk – Sedovo highway, stretching over 100 km, will be restored in the DPR before the year is out. This highway is one of the leading tourist routes in the Republic. The road links Donetsk with Starobeshevo providing access to the Azov Sea resorts. The road joins the R-280 "Novorossiya" federal highway with access to Rostov Oblast.
The professionals with the Russian Highways State Company are engaged in the restoration of the street and road system as well. In Mariupol, this kind of operations have also been carried out since 2022. During this time, 118 km of roads have been refurbished in the coastal city, 36 km of which were done this year.
The street and road system was brought up to standard in Makeyevka, too. This year, over 10 km of the Makeyevka Bypass in the Donetsk People's Republic have been restored. These include Magistralnaya, Avtotransportnaya and Gorodetskaya streets.
Owing to the restored streets, the traffic load on Makeyevka highway and 250th Anniversary of Donbass Avenue has been reduced. Previously, motorists had to wait in traffic jams along this section during rush hours due to the emergency condition of the motorway.
Apart from major structural repair of roads in historical regions, the Russian Highways State Company also takes an active part in the restoration of road structures.
They essentially have to be rebuilt from scratch, as many of them were destroyed by the enemy during their retreat. More than 60 bridges and overpasses have already been restored.
Day by day, the road crews of Russian Highways are reconnecting communities and restoring mobility, helping these regions accelerate their journey toward their peaceful future. Every refurbished motorway and every restored bridge is a step towards a new life and consolidation of ties between the territories.
