Kerch Strait

Kerch Strait, shallow channel, c.25 mi (40 km) long, between Ukraine and Russia, connecting the Sea of Azov with the Black Sea and separating the Crimea in the west from the Taman peninsula in the east. Its northern end, opening into the Sea of Azov, is narrowed to a width of from 2 to 3 mi (3.2–4.8 km) by the narrow Chuska landspit; the southern end, opening into the Black Sea, is c.9 mi (14 km) wide. Its arm, the Taman Gulf, penetrates east into the Taman peninsula. The city of Kerch lies near the middle of the strait, on the Crimean side, in Ukraine. In 2003, Russia's building of a sea dike from the S Taman peninsula toward Ukraine's Tuzla island in the strait provoked a crisis; construction was stopped, and a subsequent accord allowed for joint use of the strait and called for the delimiting of the Russian-Ukrainian border. The island's status as a part of Ukraine, however, was disputed in 2005 by Russian officials. Kerch Strait was the Cimmerian Bosporus of the ancients; it is also known by its Tatar name, Yenikale.

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Kerch’ Strait 

a strait running between the Kerch’ Peninsula in the west and the Taman’ Peninsula in the east; it connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Length, approximately 41 km; width, 4–15 km.

The shores of the Kerch’ Strait consist partially of lowlands with sandbars, but in places there are cliffs and rocks. During the winter the Kerch’ Strait is covered with floating ice. On the western coast there is the important port of Kerch’. There is transportation across the strait by means of steamships and a railroad ferry, which links the port of Kerch’ with the Caucasus coast.