Expert explains why Russia limits troop deployment in Crimea

He shared the information on Espreso TV.

"As far as I know, the Russians are trying not to concentrate a large number of troops in occupied Crimea, with around 20,000 personnel being the maximum they deploy there. Crimea is primarily used for equipment restoration and repair, treating the wounded, and accumulating ammunition. This is their main focus," Ryzhenko said.

According to the captain, Russia is trying to concentrate aviation and missile units in Crimea, which are targeting the southern territories of Ukraine.

"At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, a large number of troops were indeed concentrated in the occupied Crimea. Now the situation has changed. The occupiers are mainly concentrating aviation in Crimea, which they are trying to use to attack our forces in the south. Russia has also concentrated missile units in Crimea, which are also actively targeting the southern territories of our country," he added.

• On August 5, Captain Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesman for the Ukrainian Navy, said that Russia is using a wide variety of aircraft available to its military in Crimea.
• On August 7, Anatolii Khrapchynskyi, deputy director general of an electronic warfare company, said on Krym.Realii radio that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had destroyed five Russian air defense divisions in the temporarily occupied Crimea since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.