Ukraine's Azov Regiment targets Russian logistics in occupied Mariupol

Ukraine's rebuilt Azov Regiment has commenced drone strikes targeting Russian military logistics in and around the occupied city of Mariupol. This operation, occurring four years after the city's surrender, aims to disrupt Russian supply lines and prepare the ground for the eventual recapture of Mariupol. The regiment's renewed offensive signals a strategic effort to degrade Russian operational capabilities in the occupied territories.

In parallel, Ukraine's Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has declared that Crimea is being progressively isolated from Russian supplies, with the ultimate goal of turning the peninsula into an island. This strategy involves systematically targeting ground lines of communication that supply Russian forces and infrastructure on the peninsula. Fedorov anticipates that these actions will lead to a significant fuel crisis in Crimea, further weakening Russia's hold.

Separately, Alexei Likhachev, the head of Russia's state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom, has accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Likhachev claims this attack resulted in the death of a key worker and injured another individual. As of the reports, Ukraine has not issued a response to these accusations, and the claims have not been independently verified by Reuters.

The ongoing Ukrainian operations demonstrate a multi-pronged approach to undermining Russian control and logistics in occupied areas, from the eastern city of Mariupol to the southern peninsula of Crimea, while also involving accusations of attacks on critical infrastructure.