Ukraine is capable of "smoking" Russians out of Crimea, - Hodges
Ukraine has the means to liberate Crimea by isolating the peninsula and making it difficult for Russian troops to remain there.
According to Censor.NET, this was stated by former U.S. Army Europe commander Ben Hodges in an interview with Ukrinform.
"It sounds a bit simplistic, but the first phase … leading up to the liberation of Crimea is to isolate it, cut off the road to Dzhankoy, and destroy the bridge. The second is to render it unusable, impossible for the Russians to use," Hodges believes.
He noted that Ukraine now has the capability to strike virtually any location within the temporarily occupied Crimea using high-precision weapons. This refers to the ability to strike airfields, the remnants of the fleet, and the logistical infrastructure of Russian forces.
Crimea's logistics under pressure from attacks
Hodges emphasized that the key objective is to continue striking and disrupting Russian supply routes to the peninsula, particularly in the direction of Dzhankoy, where Ukrainian forces are already capable of striking military infrastructure targets.
He also noted that the strikes on logistics are intended to make it more difficult for Russian troops to hold Crimea and to make the occupation forces’ presence on the peninsula as problematic as possible.
Commenting on the situation with the Kerch Bridge, Hodges stated that the structure had already sustained damage and partially lost its functionality. In his view, the bridge holds not only military but also significant psychological importance for Russia, and its preservation could influence future negotiating positions and Ukraine’s access to the Sea of Azov.
"So, sooner or later, this bridge will collapse," says the former commander of U.S. Army Europe.
Hodges notes that the most challenging phase will involve not only driving Russian troops out of Crimea, but also the subsequent return of Ukrainian forces to the region. In his view, this process will require sustained and comprehensive efforts involving the use of long-range, high-precision weapons.
He emphasizes that striking Russia’s oil and gas infrastructure—which supplies the Russian military with the resources it needs to continue the war—could play a key role in this strategy.
Crimea as a strategic focal point of the conflict
The former commander believes that Crimea is the focal point of the entire war, and that its outcome depends largely on control over the region.
"Crimea is the most critical location, the focal point of this war. And whichever side controls Crimea will win the war," he stressed, highlighting the peninsula's strategic importance in the current conflict.
"I cannot imagine an end to the war or the achievement of long-term, sustainable peace if Russia continues to control Crimea. As long as Russia controls Crimea, Ukraine will never be able to access the Sea of Azov or rebuild Mariupol or Berdyansk. And, of course, Russia could still disrupt shipping from Odesa or Mykolaiv, for example. So the issue of Crimea must be resolved," Hodges said.
