It is the second longest bridge in Russia, and one of the longest bridges in Europe,[2] with a length of 5.825 kilometres (3.619 mi), and 12.98 kilometres (8.07 mi) including the connecting highway .

[6] It was constructed as a part of a federal modernization program[2] and aimed at linking the European part of Russia with the Urals, Siberia and the Far East.

[6] The design of the bridge began in 1980,[4] and the construction in 1986, originally planned to take nine years.

[6] The opening ceremony took place on 24 November 2009, and was attended by the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan.

[4] It took more than 23 years to build the bridge;[6] completion was delayed significantly due to lack of funding and economic difficulties following Russia's transition after the collapse of the Soviet Union.