Ukrainian forces have ramped up their military activity targeting Russian positions, most recently hitting a radar system located in the Krasnosilske area of Crimea. This punitive step goes hand-in-hand with the Biden administration’s overall strategy to degrade Russian military power in the area. It comes in the wake of Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014. Ukrainian officials trumpet another big success. Their Security Service (SBU) has been very effective too, destroying two Russian Su-34 fighter jets at an airfield in occupied Crimea.
As Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, stated, these strikes are critical. He noted that the radar system and airfield they struck are key to Russian operations in Crimea. The strikes have been specifically targeting supply routes that represent about 40% of fuel supplies to feed Ukraine’s war machine.
In light of the current war, Ukrainian authorities have quickly started constructing a new pontoon bridge. They’re even diverting logistics through other countries entirely to avoid crossing through conflict zones. This legislative move seeks to guarantee that the resource pipeline keeps flowing no matter how long the hostilities continue. The reality on the ground today is extremely fluid. At the same time, Ukrainian forces are feeling the effects of severe front line over 60 assaults in Pokrovsk, with Russia carrying out 42 airstrikes, dropping a cumulative 101 guided bombs across multiple theater combat.
Ukraine’s drones have increased their operational range by striking Russian-linked maritime assets well outside of Ukrainian territory. Just last week, Ukrainian UAVs struck an oil rig at Russia’s Filanovsky field, more than 700 kilometers from Ukraine’s closest land border. Other facilities, including the military patrol ship Okhotnik, came under attack.
In the port city of Pivdennyi, three tanks filled with sunflower oil exploded after another attack in March. Tragically, this assault came at the cost of one worker’s life and two more injured workers. The attack, one of many recent Russian targeting the port of Pivdennyi in southern Ukraine, has pushed the toll to eight. This tragedy reminds us all of the human cost of this continued conflict.
Russian forces have shelled a bridge on the Dniester River near Mayaky no fewer than five times. This aggressive action is yet another sign of their pledge to make life difficult for Ukrainian logistics. Furthermore, reports emerged of drone attacks in Russia’s Belgorod region, which left approximately 5,000 people without electricity after facilities were damaged in the Kursk region.
As diplomatic efforts continue, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated, “America is now proposing a trilateral meeting with national security advisers – America, Ukraine, Russia.” He emphasized the importance of standing firm in negotiations, saying, “For me, the fair version is we stand where we are now standing.”