Expect more actions to liberate Crimea soon, says Budanov
More actions to expel Russia from the occupied Crimean Peninsula can be expected in the next few days, according to Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (HUR).
Kyrylo Budanov made his comments during an interview with the ITV news agency in the formerly occupied town of Irpen, northwest of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, on August 22.
Budanov spoke during a ceremony to raise the Crimean Tatar flag ahead of the third Crimean Platform summit, scheduled to start on August 23.
Budanov stated that while there are individuals who are "very afraid" of the de-occupation of Crimea, there are also "a lot of people on the peninsula who are eagerly anticipating this outcome.”
"We need to instill confidence that their hopes are not in vain," Budanov said.
"That is why initiatives like the Crimean Platform are crucial. This involves resistance in the temporarily occupied territories and the removal of occupiers from our Crimea. Our actions are apparent now, with more to come in the next few days."
Explosions have become a regular occurrence in Crimea. While the Russian occupation authorities typically claim the blasts are the sounds of "anti-aircraft defense systems" in action, video and photographic evidence indicates that ammunition storage facilities on the peninsula have been frequently targeted.
Interruptions to traffic on the Crimean Bridge — the vital road and rail link illegally built by Russia to connect the peninsular with the mainland — are now also common.
The head of Ukraine’s SBU security service, Vasyl Maliuk, revealed for the first time on August 16 that an explosion on July 17, which damaged part of the road section of the bridge, was caused by an attack from a Ukrainian "SeaBaby" marine attack drone.
He disclosed that the attack was a joint operation involving the SBU and the Ukrainian Navy.
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