Kerch is a city of regional significance on the Kerch Peninsula in the east of the Crimea.
Population: 147,033.
Founded 2,600 years ago as an ancient Greek colony, Kerch is considered to be one of the most ancient cities in Crimea. The city experienced rapid growth starting in the 1920s and was the site of a major battle during World War II.
Today, it is one of the largest cities in Crimea and is among the republic's most important industrial, transport and tourist centres.