Ukrainian Intelligence: 24,000 Russian servicemen are stationed in the Crimea
The Main Directorate of intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine stated that there are about 24,000 Russian servicemen in annexed Crimea. They also noted that Russia continues to increase its military presence on the peninsula.
“The Russian Federation continues deploying powerful joint force groups of its armed forces on the Crimean peninsula, which as of May of this year includes about 24,000 troops, 613 tanks and armored personnel carriers, 162 artillery systems, about 100 combat aircraft, 56 helicopters, 16 coastal missile complexes, 30 surface warships and 4 submarines,” said the representative of the Main intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, Vadim Skibitsky, at a briefing in Kiev on May 30th, Krym.realii reported.
Skibitsky noted that according to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia plans a 50% to 100% increase in troops and arms in Crimea by 2025. Russia has not yet commented on these statements. However, the Russian Ministry of Defense does not hide the fact that they have been conducting active military exercises in the territory of the peninsula.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, there were just over twenty thousand Russian soldiers on the peninsula in February this year.
Russian permanent representative to NATO, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador Alexander Grushko, said that it is possible that Russia will boost its military group in Crimea based on the assumption that the North Atlantic alliance will increase its activity in Eastern Europe.