(Dmytro Pletenchuk. SCREEN SHOT: TSN/youtube)
Crimea can be made virtually uninhabitable. It is enough to disable key infrastructure and communications.
This opinion was expressed by the spokesman for the Ukrainian Navy, Captain 2nd Rank Dmytro Pletenchuk.
The spokesperson was asked to comment on the statement by former British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace about radical measures that could show Moscow the consequences of its aggression, including a proposal to make Crimea "uninhabitable" and destroy the Crimean bridge.
Pletenchuk noted that the Kremlin is unlikely to fully realize the consequences of its actions - otherwise it would not have started this war. Their strategy often resembles tactical steps: by solving one issue, they create new problems for themselves. Therefore, it is difficult to predict what conclusions will be reached by the Russian leadership, which is mainly concerned with its status, wealth and security.
Pletenchuk added that Crimea has not only symbolic but also strategic importance for the Russian Federation, and in this sense, it is necessary to "dot the I's and cross the T's".
In his opinion, it is not necessary to kill people to make the territory uninhabitable. It is enough to disrupt infrastructure and communications - for example, the destruction of the Kerch Bridge will greatly complicate supplies from the mainland. Crimea is a peninsula and is highly dependent on ties with the mainland, so it is easier to make it unviable here than in other regions. This requires not only weapons, but also information support and the political will of international partners.
Strikes on the occupiers' military infrastructure continue in Crimea, and this is compounded by another serious problem: the lack of fuel. According to Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk, the shortage is already noticeable on the peninsula and will sooner or later affect the combat capability of Russian units.
He explained that although the fleet is not fully operational and does not consume hundreds of tons of fuel daily, there are many military facilities and logistics are complicated: railroad approaches are damaged, and the Russians are afraid to transport tankers across the Kerch Bridge.
Анна Бальчінос