Ukrainian politicians who threaten Russia with missile strikes in Crimea, such as Mikhail Podolyak, an adviser to the office of the President of Ukraine, understand nothing of the intricacies of military operations. This opinion was expressed by Oleg Kryuchkov, adviser to the head of Crimea on information policy, on Sunday, January 29.
He compared such statements to “barking from under the couch.”
“Russia is threatened with strikes in Crimea by Podolyak, a man who has no idea about the war, strategy, tactics, or the characteristics of weapons. A typical Ukrainian story is to bark at Russia from under the sofa, and at night think about how to sell the Motherland at a higher price, ”Kryuchkov told RIA Novosti.
He added that Podolyak and his former colleague Aleksey Arestovich would receive Russian troops in Kyiv with honors, “in wreaths and ribbons.”
Prior to this, on January 26, Roman Chegrinets, co-chairman of the Assembly of Slavic Peoples of Crimea, said that an attempt by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) to attack Crimea would lead to disastrous consequences for Kyiv. He also pointed to the cynicism of the US position regarding Russian territories.
On January 18, US State Department spokesman Ned Price assessed the possibility of Ukrainian attacks on Crimea. He stated that Ukraine can use Western weapons at its own discretion, based on its security concerns.
At the same time, The New York Times, citing sources among American officials, reported that Washington was discussing with the Kyiv authorities the possibility of using the supplied weapons to attack Crimea or the Crimean Bridge. As the newspaper notes, if there is a threat of loss of control of the Russian Federation over the Crimea, the position of Ukraine in future negotiations will be strengthened.
In turn, the head of the committee of the Crimean parliament on public diplomacy and interethnic relations, Yuri Gempel, predicted a “crushing response” to an attempt by the Armed Forces of Ukraine to strike at Crimea with the help of the United States.
Crimea became a Russian region in March 2014 following a referendum following a coup in Ukraine. Kyiv still considers Crimea its territory. The Russian leadership has repeatedly stated that the inhabitants of Crimea voted for reunification democratically, in full compliance with international law and the UN Charter. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the issue of Crimea is “finally closed.”
The special operation to protect Donbass, the beginning of which Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 24, 2022, continues.
