Crime Ukraine Attacks Putin Castle

Early Thursday morning, Ukrainian troops attacked Russian military positions on the annexed Crime Peninsula. According to Ukrainian media, the target was an even more modern S-300 or S-400 air protection system near the town of Evpatoriya.

This would be the second such system to be attacked in Crime within weeks. The Russian Army this time reported only one attack with alleged setbacks, without details.

The night before, Ukraine had reported a spectacular attack on Sevastopol, the main base of the Black Sea Fleet. According to reports by Kiev, several cruise missiles hit a warship and a submarine. They were both severely injured. The Russian Defence Ministry said ships will be repaired.

Ukraine Destroys Crime Bridge

For weeks, the Ukrainian Army has intensified the attacks on Crime. The attacks have never been so intense and have never resulted in so much loss to the Russian side. The peninsula, already annexed in 2014, was converted from Russia to years to a military fortress with several bases for sea and air forces.

Shortly before the Russian invasion in February 2022, Ukraine's Defence Ministry estimated that the Russian troops in Crime were 32,000. Nuclear weapons are also said to be installed.

Ukraine attacked the island massively for the first time in August 2022. At the time, a military airport near Saki was hit and several fighter planes were destroyed. In October, about a year ago, the Crimea Bridge was first destroyed. Since then, this bridge, essential to the supply of Russian troops, has been the target of repeated attacks, the last of which was carried out by marine fears.

Black Sea Fleet Base

Why is Crime so important to both sides? Beyond the symbolic importance that Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to highlight, the peninsula is particularly important in the military sense.

The Black Sea fleet, located there, attacks Ukrainian cities with naval missiles from within the country to the EU border. The same is true of warplanes and their missiles.

In addition, Crimea plays a central role in supplying Russian troops to southern Ukraine. Finally, the maritime blockade of Ukraine's ports would be difficult for Russia to implement without Crime.

Immediately after the invasion, Russia was able to invade larger areas from the Crimea and secure a land link with continental Russia. It is this connection that has been trying to end with its counterattack since early summer the Ukrainian Army is now.

The military, among other things, is attacking all bridges that connect Crime and the mainland. To that end, I use Western weapons with precision, British and French navigation missiles.

To advance into Crime and then negotiate?

Ukrainian Army Commander General Valerry Salusnyj described the Crimea as a key “sector” in Russia's fight against Ukraine in a autumn 2022 programming article.

A restoration of the peninsula would certainly weaken Russia crucially, but would not guarantee the end of the military war. Russia can continue the war even after the loss of the crime since its continent, Salushnyj warned.

President Volodymyr Zelenski, however, hopes for some progress. The war began in Crime and will end there, the head of state said. It would be best for Kiev to advance to Crime and then negotiate a Russian withdrawal. At the moment, however, it is difficult to imagine that Russia would agree to do so. / DW