Experts: Ukrainians shell Crimea to deprive Russia of opportunity to observe F-16 arrival
The main purpose of the strikes is to create safe conditions for the arrival of F-16 fighter jets, which are expected in early summer
The French newspaper Le Monde interviewed experts on why Ukraine continues to frequently attack targets in the annexed Crimea, given that the prospect of its liberation is now remote.
In their opinion, this campaign has many goals: to force the Russian fleet to stay away from the western part of the Black Sea and not to threaten shipping in Odesa and neighbouring ports, to disrupt the logistics of the Russian army in mainland Ukraine.
But the main thing is to create safe conditions for the delivery of F-16 fighter jets, which is expected in early summer.
"The Russians are using their surveillance capabilities in Crimea to find out what is happening in western Ukraine. It is crucial to break these tools so that the Russians do not see the arrival of the F-16s in real time, which would allow them to react," the publication quoted international risk expert Stefan Odran as saying.
At the same time, the shelling of targets in Crimea does not exacerbate the shortage of ammunition that the Ukrainian army is experiencing at the front, as long-range drones and SCALP/Storm Shadow cruise missiles are not intended for use at the front, said Thibault Fouillet, research director of the Institute for Strategic and Defence Studies.
Background. As it became known today, the Ukrainian military hit a Russian army communications centre in Crimea. The strike, carried out by ATACMS missiles, hit a military facility of the FSB border service near Alushta.
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