Name: Why Crimea Is an Important Battleground in the Ukraine War | WSJ
Uploaded: 2022-08-20T22:54:00.000Z
Duration: 3 min 43 s
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- [Reporter] Explosions and fires in Crimea

have destroyed military equipment, frightened beach goers,

and prompted thousands of residents to evacuate to Russia.

After more than eight years under Moscow's control,

- [Reporter] For several recent incidents,

but Russia's operations have been seriously disrupted

as Ukraine increasingly focuses on striking facilities

- Actually, what they're doing is part of a broader strategy

- [Reporter] So as the war enters a new phase

and President Zelensky vows to take back the territory

here's why Crimea has emerged as an important battleground.

which is internationally recognized as Ukrainian territory,

Since then, Moscow has built military bases

- [Reporter] When Russia invaded Ukraine in late February,

from where Moscow could deploy forces and top up supplies.

- In the early days of the war, Crimea was used

as a jump off point for Russia's military.

with the goal of capture and keep, but after that failed,

fighting shifted to Eastern and Southern Ukraine.

- Since then, it's Crimea that's been kind of a rear base

for Russian armed forces who are occupying

Ukraine is now attempting to push those forces out.

- [Reporter] Since taking control of parts

Russia's forces have appeared to slow down

and Ukraine has repeatedly hit occupied areas

with targeted strikes on key infrastructure

- Ukraine, it thinks it can't take the Russians on

in order to disable Russian capabilities,

their ability to wage war and demoralize them

- [Reporter] Crimea is now key to that strategy.

A blast at a Russian airbase on August 9th

according to Western intelligence officials.

and Ukraine didn't take responsibility for the damage.

Russia relocated some planes and aircraft to its mainland,

according to Ukrainian military intelligence.

explosions at an ammunition depot damaged rail tracks

and power lines, complicating Russia's efforts

to transport ammunition and other supplies.

Ukrainian officials said the attack was indeed Ukrainian,

Still, that doesn't necessarily mean Ukraine

- Certainly Crimea eventually is a target,

but the Ukrainians are going about it very methodically,

- [Reporter] Russian diplomats didn't respond to a request

for comment about the effects of what's happening in Crimea

But as a new phase starts in the conflict,

the peninsula is at the center of Ukraine's efforts