Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin set off on trip along the newly built Chita-Khabarovsk highway, driven by a desire to see Russia’s regions “with his own eyes.”
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin set off on trip along the newly built Chita-Khabarovsk highway, driven by a desire to see Russia’s regions “with his own eyes.”
“The construction of this highway is not an everyday event for Russia. I don’t want to use pretentious words, but this is a landmark event for Russia and even has historic meaning. Our country, which has the largest territory in the world, has never been connected from west to east by road,” Putin told journalists before taking the wheel of the Lada car.
Asked why he chose a Lada Kalina for the trip, Putin said he would have been happy with any AvtoVaz car. The premier added that he would not drive the whole way himself.
The Lada Kalina Sport that Putin drove has a built-in GLONASS navigation system.
The prime minister is to travel some 2,000 km to get to Chita, in Russia’s Far East.
Putin made his first stop at a petrol station at Pit Stop camping.
Vladimir Putin signed autographs for local children.
The construction of the highway along which Vladimir Putin is to travel started in late 1970s. It crosses the territory of four Russian regions – the Transbaikal Territory, the Amur Region, the Jewish Autonomous Region and the Khabarovsk Territory. Photo: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin during his trip in a Lada Kalina car along the newly completed Chita-Khabarovsk highway.
