Retired General Ben Hodges attends international forums carrying a briefcase with a map of southern Ukraine, where he marks positions and draws arrows around Crimea. He brought it with him to Prague for the GLOBSEC security forum, and Ukrinform began its conversation with the retired General by discussing Crimea.
CRIMEA IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PLACE, THE KEY POINT OF THIS WAR
– Ukraine has been actively taking out Russian air defense systems in Crimea and striking important military targets across the peninsula. Is this preparation?
– I still believe that Crimea is the most important terrain or geography for this war. And that the side which controls Crimea is going to win the war. And I cannot imagine the war ending with Russia in control of Crimea and that being a long-term sustainable peace. Because as long as Russia controls Crimea, Ukraine will never be able to get up in the Azov Sea or do the rebuild of Mariupol or Berdiansk. And then of course Russia could still disrupt shipping coming out of Odesa or Mykolaiv, for example. So, Crimea has to be sorted.
Now, to me, this is going to be a little bit simplistic, but there is kind of the first phase or the first step to the liberation of Crimea is to isolate it. To cut that road that goes to Dzhankoi, to destroy the bridge. So, isolate it.
