Ukraine's Strikes Strip Crimea of Its Safe Rear Position

Ukraine struck Russian targets in occupied Crimea 184 times in 2024, killing over 1,000 soldiers and destroying naval vessels and supply infrastructure. The campaign ended Crimea's immunity from Ukrainian reach, forcing Russia to shift fleet operations eastward to Novorossiysk. Moscow's warships can still strike Ukrainian territory but now face constant targeting risk—a fundamental shift in the peninsula's strategic role.