A rattled Vladimir Putin has warned Ukraine and its allies would face “retaliation” as he accused them of plotting new strikes on Crimea.
The Black Sea peninsula has been a key source of contention between Moscow and Kyiv ever since Russia unilaterally annexed it in 2014.
Volodymyr Zelensky pledged within months of the start of Ukraine’s invasion in 2022 that his defence forces would not consider the war fully concluded until the peninsula was reclaimed as well.
Russia Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the prized Kerch Bridge, which links Crimea to Russia proper, is “again under attack”, claiming Kyiv’s Western allies are supporting Ukraine in drafting plans to target the infrastructure.
Zakharova claimed the plans “are being carried out openly, with ostentatious bravado and with the absolute and direct support of the collective West.”
She added: “We would like to once again warn Washington, London and Brussels that any aggressive actions against Crimea are not only doomed to failure but will also receive an indestructible blow of retaliation.”
The warning from Putin’s spokeswoman comes as Russia continues to ramp up its efforts to advance across Eastern Ukraine ahead of the delivery of new US-supplied aid in the coming weeks.
Geopolitical analysts have warned Moscow will seek to exploit the delay, the result of six months of arm wrestling in Congress, to secure significant wins over Kyiv.
Ukrainian officials have acknowledged that Russian forces have an overwhelming advantage in troops, weapons and ammunition.
Ukraine and its Western partners are in a race against the clock to deploy the new military aid in the coming weeks and prevent Russia from taking more ground.
The pressing concern at the moment is keeping the strategic eastern hilltop city of Chasiv Yar out of Russian hands. Capturing the city would offer Russia the opportunity to attack other key cities deeper inside the Donetsk region and hit important Ukrainian supply lines.
Chasiv Yar is being battered by Russian artillery, drones and missiles. Glide bombs have also been deployed.
