| Country: | RUS |
| Type: | R |
| Route: | 12 |
| Alternate Name: | Lotta |
| Length Km: | 231 |
| Direction A: | Ost |
| Terminus A: | Murmansk |
| Junction: | R21 highway |
| Direction B: | West |
| Terminus B: | Finnish border |
The Russian route R12, also known as the Lotta, is a regional road that which connects Murmansk and Finland (Finland–Russia border). Its length is 231 km.[1]
Until the middle of the twentieth century, missing road links from Kola and Murmansk to Finland along the Lotta River.[2] The need for a road arose in the 1960s, in connection with the construction of the Upper Tuloma Hydroelectric Power Plant. The Upper Tuloma Hydroelectric Power Plant was built by Soviet and Finnish specialists.[3] The construction of the road began in 1961.[4] The road to the village of builders, which later became known as Verkhnetulomsky, was also built by the joint efforts of the two countries.[5] From Kola the road was built by Soviet builders, from Finland by Finnish builders.[6] [5] In 1967, the frontier and customs post "Lotta" was opened on the road.[7]
In 2010, 191 km of the road from 231 had asphalt concrete, the remaining 40 km had gravel concrete.[8]
Major settlements along the road include Murmansk, Tuloma, Verkhnetulomsky, and Svetly. After crossing the border, the route continues to Ivalo.