Military Expert: There's Quite A Commotion In The Swamps Of The Russian Federation Right Now

Ukraine is stepping up its attacks on the occupiers' fuel supply chains.

Overnight in the waters of the Sea of Azov, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked eight tankers belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” which were carrying fuel to occupied Crimea.

What does the destruction of these tankers mean for Russia’s occupying forces, particularly for the military group in Crimea?

The website Charter97.org asked military expert Oleksiy Melnyk, co-director of foreign policy and international security programs at the Razumkov Center in Kyiv, for his comments:

— This means that eight tankers did not reach the occupiers in Crimea today. Yesterday, two were hit, and today, eight. In other words, the effort to isolate the Crimean Peninsula appears to be intensifying.

Of course, there’s no denying that this affects not only daily life on the Crimean Peninsula but also the fulfillment of its economic needs. First and foremost, this is aimed at turning Crimea—which until very recently was a massive logistical base for the southern group and for the group located on the peninsula—into a logistical problem.

Here’s another interesting fact. There’s quite a stir in the Russian media right now: “What, eight tankers were hit?” Because this isn’t just a claim by the Ukrainian side—there’s video evidence.

In other words, eight tankers were sailing unescorted. This raises questions about Russia’s ability to ensure safe navigation not only in the Black Sea but also in the Sea of Azov, which Russia has long considered its own inland lake.

— What will the Ukrainian Armed Forces do next to impose a complete blockade of the peninsula? What is Ukraine’s plan for the near future?

— I think it would probably be an exaggeration to talk about a complete blockade at this point. This is because there are still options for transporting fuel via a land corridor through the southern part of the occupied Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions. These routes and bypass roads are under fire control, but not 100%. In other words, some vehicles will still get through.

In addition, the Kerch Bridge is being used only to a limited extent. In any case, the occupiers may take this risk and allow about five tankers to pass. If there are no other options left, they may have to lift the ban on freight transport involving tankers traveling across the Crimean Bridge.

I’ll say it again: these are risks for Russia. We can see that, for whatever reason, there have been no active attempts by Ukraine to attack the Crimean Bridge. But if fuel tankers carrying 10–20 metric tons of fuel start crossing this bridge, the Russians understand perfectly well that our military is monitoring this. It’s a prime target. There it is—the explosive—all that’s left is to detonate it.

You can support the website Charter97.org

MULTI-CURRENCY ACCOUNT FOR ASSISTANCE:

Bank's name: Bank Millennium S.A.
Address: ul. Stanislawa Zaryna, 2A, 02-593, Warszawa
IBAN: PL97116022020000000216711123
SWIFT: BIGBPLPW
Name of the account holder: Fundacja “KARTA ‘97”
Purpose/title of payment: Donation for statuary aims

You can contact us by the e-mail [email protected]