Is Ukraine trying to take Crimea back from Russia?
The Ukrainian cruise missile strike on a warship in Crimea was not only another blow for Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, it also demonstrated that the Kyiv government remains determined to try to liberate the peninsula that was annexed in 2014.
The primary focus of the near two-year war has been on the land battle in the Donbas region. But at the same time, Ukraine has maintained a persistent strike rate against targets in Crimea, and in particular against the ports hosting Black Sea Fleet warships.
This has been made possible by the delivery of longer-range, standoff air-launched missiles by western partners, including the Storm Shadow, which was developed by Britain and France. This has enabled the Ukrainian air force to strike deep into Russia and
