Russian forces continue to strengthen air defenses in occupied Crimea and regularly restore radar systems after they are damaged, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, Dmytro Pletenchuk, said on TV broadcast.
“This is a continuous process, and the enemy cannot be 100% certain where or what will happen today… In practice, in most cases, after radar systems are destroyed, the objects they were covering are subsequently hit, which is why explosions are constantly heard in Crimea. The only difference is whether it’s air defense systems being struck or the objects they protect,” he explained.
According to the spokesperson, Crimea holds strategic importance for Russia — both for controlling airspace and for logistics and troop deployment — so the Russian forces aim to maintain a high level of protection there.
“This temporarily occupied peninsula is indeed heavily defended, and they are more likely to bring resources here than move them away. This is due to many reasons, ranging from the so-called ‘sacredness’ they assign to the area to its strategic significance. Crimea plays a major role in controlling airspace over the Azov-Black Sea region. Additionally, troops, infrastructure, and logistics are stationed there, supporting the southern grouping of forces. Supplies, medical evacuations, and force buildup all require these systems to be constantly restored,” Pletenchuk said.
