Ukraine's Defence Intelligence chief Budanov: Black Sea actions are preparations for major operation in Crimea

He spoke about this in the documentary War for the Sea: From Dnipro to Crimea, which premiered on March 10 during a telethon.
 
"These are all preparations for a serious operation in Crimea. This is a test of the accuracy of our statements about the ways of approaching and leaving Crimea. In addition, this is a good message for the population that has been living under occupation for 10 years. Many of them believe that they have been forgotten," Budanov said.
 
The HUR servicemen, who participated in the planning and implementing combat missions related to the same strategic plan, also told the details of the war for the sea in 2022-2023.

It is noted that in the summer of 2023, fighters of the Shaman special unit took advantage of the occupiers' inattention and crossed to the left bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson region.
 
"We realized that the enemy was not sufficiently aware of the situation. We took boats to the enemy's territory in the interposition space, landed, and immediately had several intense clashes with enemy observation posts. Some of the observation posts were almost completely destroyed or captured," the commander of the special forces unit with the call sign "Shaman" described the first steps in creating a left-bank bridgehead.

In July 2023, members of the Timur special unit returned the Ukraine oil and gas production platform to state control, and later participated in the Crimean Operation Force Awakens.
 
"The enemy will never dominate the sea, no matter what they think. This is our Black Sea, our "towers", our Crimea, our Zmiinyi Island," said the commander of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine's special forces.
 
In addition, it is noted that the destruction of enemy ships is the area of responsibility of the Group 13 special unit. The unit commander with the call sign "Thirteenth" emphasized that each mission requires careful preparation.
 
"We understand how to maneuver, at what angle to enter, from which side. We evaluate many factors before attacking. And after that, we start searching for the target. After detection, when the sides reach a favorable position, a simultaneous attack is carried out by all sides," the military explained.

• On February 14, in the Black Sea, Ukrainian defenders, together with the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, targeted the Russian large amphibious assault ship Caesar Kunikov.
• On the night of Tuesday, March 5, the Ukrainian military destroyed the Russian Navy patrol ship Sergei Kotov in the temporarily occupied Crimea with the help of naval drones. There are dead and wounded among the crew.
• On March 10, it became known that the Russian invaders were likely to strengthen their repair capabilities of warships in Novorossiysk, as they were moving ship parts and equipment from Crimea.
• Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk said that the invaders are currently trying to repair at least 15 damaged ships in Crimea.
• In addition, the Ukrainian Navy spokesperson emphasized that the Russian forces have not brought their vessels into the Black Sea for 6 days.
• On the same day, the Moscow-based propaganda newspaper Izvestia informed that Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov, Chief of the Russian Navy, has been dismissed and Admiral Alexander Moiseev has been appointed instead.