‘I would not recommend civilians use the Crimean Bridge’ — Ukraine's Spy Chief Budanov

He said this in a video message.

"Russia's war against Ukraine began not two years ago, but ten years ago with the occupation of Ukrainian Crimea. However, neither the Ukrainian state nor the Ukrainians agreed to recognize the aggressor's right to the Crimean land. And the resistance of the local Ukrainian population against the occupiers did not subside for a moment, despite the repressions," Budanov said.

According to him, for a successful defense and counteroffensive, Ukraine must control the Black Sea and be present in Crimea.

The head of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine emphasized that the tasks have already been accomplished: Russia lost a quarter of its ships and was forced to withdraw its fleet to the Caucasus coast and redeploy its aviation, as Crimea's airfields and military facilities are constantly under fire from Ukrainian defenders.

Budanov added that the military owes their success to the residents of Ukrainian Crimea, who "not only strengthened their resistance to the occupiers, but also find the opportunity to monitor the entire operational situation on the peninsula and transmit this information as soon as possible."

"We promised that in 2023 Ukrainian special forces would be in Crimea, and we have fulfilled this promise. New surprises await the enemies, and I would not recommend civilians to use the so-called Crimean bridge," the head of Ukrainian intelligence summarized.

• On the morning of Wednesday, February 14, in the Black Sea, Ukrainian defenders, together with the Defense Intelligence (HUR), damaged the Russian large landing ship Caesar Kunikov.