It is no surprise that right before the Russian ‘elections’, the Kremlin is once again trotting out the narrative of ‘recovering Crimea’.
Ukraine Hits Russian Naval Forces In Sevastopol, Submarine Damaged
Marine Le Pen, former presidential candidate and leader of the France’s main opposition party, National Rally, declared in the French National Assembly that Crimea is legitimately a part of Russian. “I fully support the referendum, I believe that the people of Crimea have freely expressed their will by voting to reunite with Russia,” Le Pen concluded.
On Thursday, another Russian train derailed in Crimea in what many sources are describing as sabotage. According to a statement released by the Crimean Railways, the derailment was caused by “interference from outside persons.” No specifics of the alleged sabotage have been released.
The Ukrainian battle for Bakhmut has not been going well for Kyiv, with reportedly high losses and dwindling munitions and other resources in the east, and despite numerous reports of a much anticipated Spring counteroffensive by Ukrainian forces, the talk has shifted from a planned counteroffensive to a need for compromise.
On Tuesday, March 14th the Pentagon released a statement about a Russian fighting jet colliding with a drone operated by the US military over the Black Sea. The impact caused the drone to crash and it has not yet been recovered.
On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Kyiv is preparing to launch attacks in an effort to recapture Crimea. The plan for the attacks includes forming new military units and sending forces to train in other countries.
Pro-Ukrainian forces with ties to the Crimean-based Atesh partisan group have claimed responsibility for an attack that left a railway line in the Bakhchisaray district near Simferopol City, Crimea, damaged on February 23, according to Inkerman.