 Ukraine destroys Russian military facilities in Crimea ahead of large-scale spring offensive. Ukraine's recent drone attacks on Russian-occupied Crimea highlight the importance of neutralising Moscow's firepower on the peninsula as Kiev prepares its much-anticipated spring counteroffensive according to the Financial Times. Russia has used its numerous military facilities in the territory, including Sevastopol port, home to its Black Sea fleet, and the Sarki airbase to launch missile strikes across Ukraine and to support its ground forces in the south and east of the country. Russian officials said last week's air and naval drone attacks targeted Sevastopol port and the northern Zankoi railway hub, but denied any damage to Russia's military assets. Ukrainian officials claim a railway shipment of Russian-caliber cruise missiles was hit in Zankoi about 130 kilometers from the nearest Ukrainian position, even though they continue to avoid taking direct credit for strikes on Russian territory as well as Crimea. This is part of the processes that will take place before the demilitarisation and deoccupation of both the Crimean Peninsula and all the occupied territories of Ukraine. Andrew Yusof, a Ukrainian military intelligence officer told the Financial Times, the drone strikes were much less dramatic than the blast that last October disabled the Kersh Strait Bridge that connects Crimea with Russia's Taman Peninsula. But Kyiv continues to prioritise strikes that damage or destroy Russian military assets in Crimea. It must be neutralised, it must be reduced, it must be attacked, said Andrew Zagorodnyuk, a former Ukrainian defence minister and head of the Centre for Defence Strategies, which advises the government on security matters. The US has declined to give Kyiv weapons of sufficient range to allow its forces to strike across Crimea. Washington and other Western Allies remain concerned that President Vladimir Putin could ultimately use nuclear weapons to prevent Ukraine from liberating the peninsula.