Why is Crimea critical to the Russia–Ukraine war?

Ukraine is intensifying attacks on Russian-controlled Crimea to pressure Moscow into ending the war, according to Al Jazeera. The peninsula has become critical to the conflict: Russia annexed it in twenty fourteen and uses it as a strategic foothold for Black Sea operations and military logistics. By striking Crimea, Ukraine demonstrates its capacity to threaten Russian interests and raise the cost of occupation—a tactic meant to encourage Moscow toward negotiations.

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