Russia raises alarms about Ukraine attacking Putin's prized possession

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A Russian state news agency has warned about a potential upcoming attack on Crimea.

Tass, a Kremlin-controlled outlet, issued the warning based on recent comments made by Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine's military intelligence service (GUR).

Speaking in a documentary released on Sunday, Budanov said recent strikes on Russian positions in Crimea are preparation for a "serious operation" that will be launched on the peninsula.

Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded and annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Since his current invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, the peninsula has been a major talking point. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said one of his objectives in the conflict is to reclaim Crimea and four other regions Putin annexed in September 2022.

Crimean Bridge and Vladimir Putin — The main image shows an explosion, which Ukraine’s Security Service later claimed responsibility for, on the Crimean Bridge on October 8, 2022. The smaller image—distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik—shows Russian President Vladimir Putin at... (Photos by ALEXANDER KAZAKOV/POOL/AFP/ Getty Images

For his part, Putin has maintained that Crimea belongs to Russia, and Kremlin officials have stated numerous times that returning the territory to Ukraine will not be included in any possible peace negotiations.

Crimea not only holds symbolic value, but it is also important strategically as the peninsula serves as Russia's central logistics hub for its forces in southern Ukraine.

The past year has seen an increase in the frequency of Ukrainian strikes in Crimea. One of the more high-profile assaults on Putin's navy in the region came on March 5 when a squadron of Ukrainian Magura V5 sea drones destroyed the $65 million Sergey Kotov patrol ship.

In the hour-long documentary War for the Sea: From the Dnipro to Crimea, broadcast on Ukrainian TV, Budanov discussed such attacks on Russia's armed forces as setting the groundwork for a larger mission.

"These are all preparations for a serious operation in Crimea," he said.

The Kyiv military official added: "This is a test of our statements' accuracy about the ways of approaching and leaving Crimea. This also makes a good message for the population that has been living under occupation for 10 years. Many of them believe that they have been forgotten."

Newsweek reached out to GUR and the Russian Ministry of Defense via email on Monday for comment.

The War for the Sea documentary also features interviews with GUR soldiers who participated in combat missions against Russian targets, notably the Black Sea Fleet, in Crimea throughout the two-plus years of war.

In its coverage of Budanov's comments from the film, Tass noted GUR posted Budanov's message about a "serious operation" on its Telegram channel. The outlet also mentioned that Budanov is listed on the Russian government's registry of terrorists and extremists.