KIEV (dpa-AFX) – Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has announced the isolation of the Russian-annexed Black Sea peninsula of Crimea using drone attacks. “It looks like Crimea will soon turn into an island,” the minister said in an interview. The attacks on the Russian supply lines open a “window of opportunity” for Ukraine. “Hell is beginning for the Russians, which they will find difficult to overcome,” announced Fedorov. This not only affects Crimea, but also eastern Ukraine.
The disruptions to Russian logistics are already having a direct impact on the number of Russian attacks along the front line. During the holiday season, Crimea – a popular destination for Russian tourists – will only be explored by Ukrainian threats this year, he said sarcastically.
Already purchased more drones than last year
Within four months, his ministry purchased more drones than in the entire previous year. For drones with a fiber optic connection and medium range, the volume has already reached three times the previous year’s volume. “These are hundreds of thousands of medium-range drones,” said Fedorov, who has been in office since January.
Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian invasion for more than four years with Western help. Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014. Now Russia claims additional Ukrainian territories. Most recently, Kiev used drone attacks to create fuel bottlenecks, sometimes deep in the Russian hinterland. Nevertheless, the situation of Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk region continues to deteriorate and the city of Kostiantynivka is in danger of falling./ast/DP/stk