Idea of tunnel under Kerch Strait was discussed but bridge was built eventually - Crimea head

ROSTOV-ON-DON. Nov 24 (Interfax) - Crimea head Sergei Aksyonov has dismissed rumors about the possible construction of a tunnel under the Kerch Strait with China's participation.

"This is a lie. There are no such plans," Aksyonov wrote on Telegram, commenting on a Washington Post article.

Before the Crimean bridge project started, the idea of building a tunnel or "even a cableway" across the strait had indeed been discussed, he said.

"But in the end, the optimal and most realistic option, a bridge, was chosen. And it has been a long time since all the other ideas were rejected and basically archived," Aksyonov said.

U.S. newspaper The Washington Post reported earlier, citing Ukrainian sources, about plans being discussed on building a tunnel underneath the Kerch Strait with the participation of a Russian-Chinese consortium.