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KYIV, Ukraine — The Moscow-appointed chief of Crimea stated Tuesday the area is on guard for what could also be an impending Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Sergei Aksyonov advised reporters that Russian forces in Crimea had constructed “trendy, in-depth defenses” and had “greater than sufficient” troops and tools to repel a attainable Ukrainian assault after 13 months of warfare following Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“We can’t underestimate the enemy, however we are able to positively say that we’re prepared (for an assault) and that there shall be no disaster,” he stated.
His feedback got here days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed Kyiv’s intention to take again the Black Sea peninsula that Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
Aksyonov first introduced the start of fortification works in Crimea in November, with out giving particulars. In February, at a safety assembly chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin, he stated that the works have been set to complete by April.
Satellite tv for pc photos revealed final week confirmed a fancy net of trenches and different fortifications dug close to Medvedivka, a small city close to a crossing between Crimea and mainland Ukraine, suggesting Russian issues a few attainable Ukrainian assault there.
Navy analysts anticipate Kyiv to reap the benefits of enhancing climate to grab the battlefield initiative with new batches of Western weapons, together with scores of tanks, and recent troops skilled within the West.
Ukrainian forces might search to interrupt by means of the land hall between Russia and Crimea, heading from Zaporizhzhia towards Melitopol and the Azov Sea. That may break up the Russian forces in two.
Kyiv’s forces face a formidable problem to dislodge Russian forces, nonetheless. Their armor probably will encounter minefields, anti-tank ditches and different obstacles, whereas in depth trench programs present cowl for Moscow’s troops.
The Kremlin needs Kyiv to acknowledge Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea and likewise acknowledge September’s annexation of the Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia. Ukraine has vowed to drive the Russians out of all occupied territories and has dominated out any talks with Moscow till it totally reclaims management of its land.
The Ukraine-held components of the 4 provinces have felt the brunt of Russian bombardments in latest months, and 7 civilians have been wounded by Russian shelling in Donetsk and Kherson on Monday and in a single day, the presidential workplace reported Tuesday.
Russia on Tuesday additionally used Su-35 plane to launch strikes on two cities within the Zaporizhzhia area, the top of the Ukrainian presidential workplace stated.
Andriy Yermak stated in a Telegram publish that native authorities have been assessing the harm within the cities of Orikhiv and Huliaipole, every of which had a pre-war inhabitants of slightly below 14,000.
Russian artillery additionally hit a church in Kherson, blowing out its home windows and damaging its roof and partitions, the Ukrainian regional army administration reported on Telegram. It stated there had been no casualties.
___ Related Press Author Yuras Karmanau in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report. ___ Observe AP’s protection of the warfare in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine