Russia and China have slowed construction of what would have been the world’s first cross-border cable car due to EU sanctions, the governor of a region where Russia’s section was to be built said Monday.
Construction of the Blagoveshchensk-Heihe cable car across the Amur River began in April 2021 and was due to wrap up this year.
The 973-meter cable car, designed by the Dutch architectural practice UNStudio, was expected to transport up to 2.5 million people a year in four 60-person cabins. Travel time across the river was estimated at 10 minutes.
China and Russia had together invested 5 billion rubles ($82.5 million) into the project, which Amur region Governor Vasily Orlov said was stalled due to EU sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The French are not supplying it to us under EU demands because cable cars are classified as luxury items, and luxury items fall under sanctions,” Orlov told the RBC news website.
Orlov said the investors are actively looking for alternative suppliers from countries including India and Turkey.
“I’m absolutely confident the project will be implemented, but it will take another year,” he said on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Russia’s port city of Vladivostok.
“I’m not ready to say yet whether the costs will change.”
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
