War in Ukraine: Why Crimea has become a strategic target

Ukraine has ramped up attacks on Crimea, a strategic target once invaded and annexed by Russia in 2014. The Ukrainian forces have been employing long-range drones to strike at transports on the M14 highway, which connects Rostov-on-Don in Russia to Melitopol in southern Ukraine, currently under Russian control. Additionally, Russia's naval vessels stationed in the Sea of Azov and Black Sea, as well as energy facilities feeding the Russian military, have been targeted.

Ukrainian forces report that 196 Russian ships and over 100 energy facilities have been hit in the last month, though these figures cannot be independently confirmed. Russia appears to be grappling with supplying both its military and civilian population in Crimea. Fuel coupons were distributed at the end of May, but they were depleted within 24 hours, leading to a surge in black market gasoline trading.

The situation has become dire, with a state of emergency declared in Crimea, particularly in Sevastopol, due to recurring disruptions in electricity, water supply, internet, and cellphone networks. Nina, a resident in Crimea, expressed the hardships faced by her community, including power outages, fuel scarcities, and the inability to maintain essential services like cooking, public transport, and refrigeration due to fuel shortages.

Some are even resorting to using public buses for communication, despite the irregular service. Ukraine's strategy focuses on disrupting supply routes into Crimea and within the region, targeting small Russian tankers and tugboats used to transport oil to larger ships and fuel the Crimean mainland, while sparing the Kerch Bridge to maintain a potential escape route for civilians.

Military experts emphasize the significance of air attacks on Crimea for the ongoing ground conflict in southern Ukraine, particularly in the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, where Russian troops heavily rely on Crimea as a military base. The blockade of shipping traffic in the Sea of Azov and Black Sea aims to cut off Russian troops' access to supplies and reinforcements on the southern front.

Ukrainian military experts warn that the ongoing attacks will exacerbate the situation, especially as colder weather approaches, threatening the population's survival in terms of heating and access to basic necessities.