The russian occupiers are preparing for a circular defense of Mariupol and actively restoring necessary infrastructure, including the port, for combat operations, Major General Vadym Skibitskyi, the representer of the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, states.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian resistance movement is strengthening its capabilities on the territory of Crimea. Its activity, along with strikes on Crimean military targets, is making a depressing impression on the russians.
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“We see that the russians are afraid. The base in Sevastopol and other military facilities are now heavily guarded, and the occupiers are fortifying positions to protect this infrastructure from any attacks,” Major General Vadym Skibitskyi reported.
According to the representer of the Defense Intelligence, russia has moved most of its warships from Sevastopol to the territory of the russian federation, particularly to Novorossiysk, to avoid their destruction on the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea.
He also noted that the russian occupiers hadn’t been paying particular attention to the defense of Crimea by the autumn of 2022.
However, after the success of the Ukrainian Army in Kharkiv and Kherson regions, and further strikes on military targets and actions of the resistance movement on the territory of the temporarily occupied peninsula, the occupiers were forced to “put their heads together” and build fortifications, strengthen the coast, etc.
“Everything will depend on how our operation to liberate Crimea is planned. Secondly, it will depend on the morale of the russian servicemen. If there is panic and everyone starts to flee, then a “gesture of goodwill” may be possible. But it will not be very easy because they consider Crimea to be the last fortress and will try to defend the peninsula until the end," Vadym Skibitskyi emphasized.
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