Ukrainian Forces Capture Tank Abandoned by Russian Troops... Can They Overcome Firepower Disadvantage and Retake Crimea?

WSJ "Russia Should Be Recognized as the Largest Supplier of Artillery to Ukraine"

On the 5th (local time), Ukrainian soldiers firing in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] There are claims that if the Ukrainian military continues to reclaim Russian-occupied territories at the current pace, they could also retake the Crimean Peninsula, which was seized by Russia in 2014.

According to the British daily The Telegraph on the 5th (local time), a senior U.S. military official stated, "It is now definitely possible for Ukraine to retake the Crimean Peninsula, and this possibility can no longer be ignored."

He believed that Russia no longer has the capability to hold key strategic points. The official assessed, "If Ukraine retakes Kherson, it will be a truly feasible opportunity for Ukraine to reclaim the Crimean Peninsula." Kherson in southern Ukraine is a strategic stronghold connecting mainland Russia and the Crimean Peninsula. Russian forces attempted to occupy this area at the end of February during the initial phase of the invasion of Ukraine.

Initially, military experts predicted that it would be impossible for Ukraine to retake the Crimean Peninsula. However, as the Ukrainian military has recently re-entered eastern Luhansk and recovered territories occupied by Russian forces one by one, expectations for reclaiming Crimea have also emerged.

Laura Cooper, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, also said in a press briefing the day before, "Ukraine can use the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) provided by the U.S. to attack the Crimean Peninsula." She added, "The U.S. regularly consults with Ukraine regarding the necessary weapons supply" and "plans to continue providing military support."

However, Russia immediately opposed the announcement of additional U.S. military aid to Ukraine. Anatoly Antonov, Russian Ambassador to the U.S., pointed out, "The U.S. strategy to supply heavy weapons to Ukraine will strengthen the U.S.'s status as a participant in the conflict."

On the 4th (local time), Ukrainian soldiers are preparing to tow a captured Russian tank in the Kharkiv region. [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military is gaining momentum by immediately putting hundreds of captured armored vehicles, including tanks, howitzers, and armored personnel carriers, into service. According to the U.S. Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the same day, some of the captured equipment was incorporated into the Ukrainian military with the 'Z' symbol, which symbolizes Russia's invasion of Ukraine, erased and was immediately deployed in combat. Since both countries use the same weapon systems developed during the Soviet era, the captured equipment could be put into service without separate training or adaptation. Thanks to this, the Ukrainian military, which had been at a disadvantage in terms of firepower and quantity, has significantly improved its equipment level, and the issue of shell shortages is also reported to have eased.

The WSJ pointed out, "Including equipment seized by the Ukrainian military as the Russian forces retreated from the northern front where Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, is located in April, the amount of weapons provided by the West to Ukraine far exceeds expectations," adding, "Russia should be considered the country that has supplied the most heavy weapons to Ukraine."