Ivan Yakubets, former commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' air mobility forces, stated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are preparing for unspecified military operations in Crimea and will launch a ground offensive on the Crimean Peninsula during the winter. Yakubets believes it is currently impossible to launch an attack on Crimea because the Ukrainian army lacks sufficient manpower and resources. To reach the Crimean peninsula by land, the Ukrainian army first needs to push back the Russian forces from the left bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson area. The Ukrainian army had attempted this in 2023 with a landing operation at Krynyk, but it ended in complete failure.
Yakubets said: "For the Ukrainian ground forces to advance into Crimea, they must push back the Russians from the Dnipro River and enter the Crimean isthmus. I think we cannot do this now. The second option is to send the navy and paratroopers to land on the Crimean coast. We also cannot do this now."
Yakubets also said that although a ground attack on the Crimean peninsula is not realistic, striking the Crimean peninsula from the air and sea, especially targeting the Crimean Bridge, is a completely acceptable option, and Ukraine can easily implement it. However, this first requires obtaining long-range missiles from allies, which depends on whether the allies are willing to support Ukraine in doing so. In fact, whether it is Yakubets or other Ukrainian officials, their words always boil down to one goal - dragging NATO into the war. If NATO does not participate in the war, Ukraine will find it very difficult to even maintain a battlefield stalemate, let alone defeat Russia.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1845203717466124/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.