What is Kremlin's top political priority in Ukrainian counteroffensive
Russian occupation forces are building serious defenses on the outskirts of Crimea. Maintaining control over the peninsula is Kremlin's top political priority.
This was reported by the UK Ministry of Defense on Twitter.
According to the report, intense fighting continues in southern Ukraine. However, in recent weeks, Russia has continued to make significant efforts to build defensive lines deep in rear areas, especially on the approaches to occupied Crimea.
According to British intelligence, this includes an extensive zone of defences of 9 km in length, 3.5 km north of the town Armyansk, on the narrow bridge of land connecting Crimea to the Kherson region.
"These elaborate defences highlight the Russian command’s assessment that Ukrainian forces are capable of directly assaulting Crimea. Russia continues to see maintaining control of the peninsula as a top political priority," the British Ministry of Defense said.
As a reminder, Russian troops seized Crimea and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions in 2014. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.
Author – Anastasiya Glotova, 21/06/2023
