Shillong, July 25: Ukrainian Defence Minister, Oleksii Reznikov, has declared that the assaults on Crimea and the Kerch bridge, which links the occupied peninsula to mainland Russia, will continue.
In an interview with CNN, Reznikov stated that these targets are considered official targets as it will hamper their capacity to fight against Ukraine and ultimately save the lives of Ukrainians.
When asked if Ukraine’s intention was to permanently disable the bridge, Reznikov responded that disrupting the logistic lines of the enemy is a normal tactical approach. By doing so, they aim to cut off the enemy’s access to ammunition, fuel, food, and other crucial supplies, thus limiting their capabilities.
Reznikov also accused Russia of acting as a “terrorist state,” pointing to the continuous pummeling of the Ukrainian port city of Odesa and its surrounding region over the past week. During the fifth night of Russian strikes in Odesa, over two dozen landmarks in the historic city center were damaged, and drones targeted the region’s port infrastructure, including vital grain stocks.
The Russian withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which allowed for the safe export of Ukrainian wheat to international markets, worsened the global food crisis as a retaliation to the attack on the Kerch bridge earlier in the month.
Reznikov emphasized that Russia’s explanation for their actions, citing responses to explosions in their territories, does not justify their attacks on civilians. He strongly criticized Russia, branding them as looters, rapists, and murderers.
In response to potential threats in the Black Sea, Reznikov asserted that Ukraine possesses the capacity and weapons to retaliate, as demonstrated with the attack on the Russian guided-missile cruiser Moskva, which sank in the Black Sea in April, an incident claimed by Ukrainian officials.
