Putin Forced to Adopt Defensive Posture in Ukraine ?

Over the past two weeks Russian military site in Crimea has been hit by explosions. Ukraine stepped up short of taking credit but high-ranking officials termed the blast just as the beginning and demilitarization in action.

August 9,

• large explosion in saky airbase in Western Crimea.
• 130 miles south of the war's frontlines
• Air base hosted aviation forces of the Russian Black Sea fleet.
• Explosions explosions damage at least eight Russian aircraft.            August 16th
• Russian ammunition dump explodes in the village of maiskoye.
• Located located near the city of Dzhankoi in northern Crimea.
• Dzhankoi, an important road and rail junction connecting Crimea to Ukraine.
• Explosion damage a  nearby railway and power station sub-station.
• Smoke smoke seen rising from Gvardeyskoye airbase.
• Another Russian military Outpost in central Crimea
• No visible damage to the base or it's aircrafts. 

Russia claimed the August 9 explosion was caused by a fire at an ammunition depot on the saky airbase. Russia however, blamed sabotage for August 16th blast at the ammunition dump in maiskoye. 

Putin Forced to Adopt Defensive Posture?     

As reported by Ukraine's intelligence services, the incidents have led Putin to relocate not less than 24 Jets and 14 helicopters back to Russia. They may also have been moved to bases deeper inside Crimea for protection, according to Ukrainian intelligence. Moving those military assets farther from the Frontline would make it harder for Russia to use them in support of its military operation in Ukraine. The eight aircraft lost at saky airbase are a small number of the total losses Russia has committed to the conflict. However, Russia's loss further degrade the capabilities of the Black Sea fleet, which lost its flagship moskva in April. A US defence official said that Russian forces are much more vulnerable than they thought they were, the official also said that movement of the Russian forces an effort to try to protect their capabilities. The recent incident also have affected the morale and sense of security of Russians in Crimea. As a result of this thousands of civilians many of them vacationers as reported appeared to leave the peninsula. Earlier even the president of Ukraine Zelensky had said that Russian citizens feel that Crimea is not a place for them. Ukraine has warned as usual that the Crimean bridge connecting Russia and russian-occupied Crimea will be dismantled voluntarily or not. On August 17th, Mikhail Podolyak, an adviser to president Zelensky vowed the bridge will be destroyed. the bridge destruction would be one of the most significant blows Ukraine could inflict on Moscow, as per experts. Destroying the bridge would sever the single overland route to bring supplies from Russia to its military bases in Crimea. The bridge also served as an escape route after the explosions at the saky airbase. Not less than 38,000 cars were reportedly seen crossing the Crimean bridge in one day on August 16th,the most during the war. In recent weeks Russia has stepped up countermeasures to defend the structure by deploying a target ship with an array of radar reflectors. Moscow has also reportedly conducted drills to cover the Crimean bridge with a smoke screen. Russia also claims to have intercepted at least 2 drone attacks on the sevastopol headquarters of its Black Sea fleet. Reports say Russia is particularly worried about US-made HIMARS which Kyiv has used to strike the Antonovsky bridge in kherson. 

Why Crimea is important to Russia.                 

                     Crimea has been an important support area for Russia's current attacks on Ukraine. The  southern armyof the February 24th military operation advanced into mainland Ukraine from Crimea, capturing kherson. Moscow has also used Crimea roads and railwaysto reinforce and resupply it forces in southern and South Eastern Ukraine. The Crimean peninsula is home to sevastopol, which has the most developed naval base in the black sea region. Crimea is home to other ports and airfields, including those in Dzhankoi and Gvardeyskoye. Russia has been developing and modernizing the Crimean peninsula since its annexation in 2014. Ukrainian officials have expressed determination to retake the Crimean peninsula by attacking Russian forces. On August 10th, President Zelensky said Russia's "war against Ukraine began with Crimea and has to end with Crimea with its liberation".