Russia seized the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and has used it as a base for attacks in the country since the war began in February. Ukrainian authorities have vowed to retake Crimea and other occupied territories. “They lost their flagship Moscow, they lost Snake Island, they lost half of their naval aviation package and their military headquarters was hit,” the official said of Russia. They added that the “reliability” of the Russian Black Sea Fleet had been “declined” as a result of the attack. Regarding recent explosions in Russia, Crimea and Russian-occupied territories, the official said: “I think we can assume attacks by Ukrainians behind enemy lines.” They went on to say that there had been a surge in attacks behind Russian lines, which they attributed to a “combination of incredibly brave people and new capabilities”. Russia is starting to “run out of ammunition,” according to the official, who said that will “eventually start to hurt Russia’s ability to launch attacks.” They added that the war was now at a “different stage” as “both sides have become more aware that this is a marathon, not a sprint”. The Western official also discussed the ongoing situation at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, which has been controlled by Russian forces since the invasion began. Kyiv and Moscow accuse each other of bombing the Zaporizhia plant, sparking international fears of a disaster. The factory official said it is built to “handle a civilian aircraft flying into it,” adding that “we don’t care about direct fire.” Want a quick and special update on the biggest news? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out what you need to know But they added: “The issue we’re concerned about is the water cooling of the nuclear reactors. If the grid goes out, it forces them to back up the generators. If they fail … we’re in a more serious situation.” Ukraine has accused Russia of storing troops and weapons at the plant and using its territory to launch strikes against Ukrainian-controlled territory. Ukrainian officials and military analysts say Moscow’s forces cynically used the plant as a shield, knowing the Ukrainians would hesitate to fire. Russia has denied the accusations and, in turn, has accused Ukrainian forces of repeatedly shelling the plant. On Friday, Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russia’s Security Council, accused the US of encouraging Ukraine to attack the plant. “In the event of a technological catastrophe, its consequences will be felt in every corner of the world,” he said. “Washington, London and their accomplices will bear full responsibility for this.”
