Kiev seizes the ‘crown jewel’ in the war: Ukraine has been given the green light by NATO to attack Crimea

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“Ukraine opens a new war front in Crimea,” reads the headline in Spain’s largest daily newspaper, “El Pais.” Kiev is using long-range weapons recently added to its arsenal and supplied by NATO countries to retake the Black Sea peninsula. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. The Spanish newspaper wants to know that Kiev’s NATO allies have now given the green light to use the supplied weapons for the reconquest of Crimea.

Attacks on Crimea take place exclusively by sea and air. The Ukrainian Peninsula, which existed until 2014, is accessible by land from the north and east, but these remain cut off from Ukraine. Now a new phase of Kiev’s counter-offensive is apparently underway to retake Crimea – which has already been the crown jewel of many rulers.

The West’s approval of air and naval attacks on Crimea would represent a “significant change in the script,” according to El Pais. “Until a few months ago, Crimea was considered a red line in Washington, Berlin and Paris that could further escalate the conflict. For the Kremlin and for most Russians, Crimea is an inalienable part of their national identity.”

“Real red line” for Russia

The fall of Crimea would be a triumph for Kiev and possibly decisive for the war. Raising the Ukrainian flag in Sevastopol would not only shake Russians’ remaining confidence in the wartime fate of President Vladimir Putin (70).

If the military and strategically important territory were lost, Moscow could be forced to escalate the war. Kiev’s invasion of Crimea would cross a “real red line” for Moscow, former US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (80) warned months ago.

“Spearhead of the Crimean Offensive”

In the Crimean offensive, the Ukrainian forces rely on the British-French Storm Shadow cruise missile. The missile is the first long-range weapon delivered to Ukraine by allies. In 2022, American Himars missiles with a range of 80 kilometers were used to eliminate Russian command bases and military arsenals. Storm Shadow missiles have a range of 550 kilometers. She calls “El Pais” the “spearhead of the Crimean offensive.”

Meanwhile, Russia’s military infrastructure on the peninsula is under attack almost daily. The past two weeks have been particularly successful for the Ukrainian Air Force – apparently almost exclusively thanks to airstrikes from Storm Shadow.

Ukraine succeeds in dealing heavy blows against the occupiers of Crimea

On September 13, the military ship repair dock in Sevastopol was shelled, damaging a submarine and a landing ship. On September 20, the second command center of the Russian Black Sea Fleet was partially destroyed. On September 21, the Saky air base, the main Russian air base on Ukrainian territory, was attacked again.

On Friday, September 22, the Ukrainian army struck Russian-occupied Crimea with a combined drone and cruise missile attack. “After the hit on the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, 34 officers were killed, including the commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet,” the press service of the Ukrainian army’s special forces said. The Russian Black Sea Fleet is currently operating like a “headless chicken.” The Russian side initially did not confirm the alleged death of fleet chief Viktor Sokolow (61).

A day later, a Ukrainian missile destroyed a fuel depot of the Russian fleet in Crimea. Explosions were reported again in Crimea on Tuesday night. According to the Russian occupation chief of the area, Mikhail Razvoshayev (42), this would involve a “controlled demolition” of the heavily damaged headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol.

Kiev calls on citizens to leave Crimea

Kirill Budanov (37), head of Kiev’s military intelligence, told the US portal ‘The War Zone’ on Saturday that even long-requested ATACMS missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometers will not be used against Russian territory, as is the case with NATO partners demand that. However, Budanov emphasized that Crimea belongs to Ukraine.

On the same day, Kiev called on its citizens to leave Crimea and wait for the peninsula to be liberated. Iryna Vereshchuk, the country’s deputy prime minister, has called on Ukrainians to flee the Russian-occupied peninsula until the situation calms down.

“I once again call on Ukrainians to leave Crimea, if possible,” Vereshchuk said on her Telegram channel. “Await the liberation of the peninsula in a controlled area or in third countries.”

Source: Blick