Russia has built dozens of trench systems on the Crimean peninsula, according to the newspaper Washington Post Maxar satellite image. Kilometers of trenches were also dug along the coast in a few weeks, although a landing by Ukrainian troops appeared unlikely, the paper noted. According to him, however, the Russian army appears to be preparing for a spring counteroffensive just in case, which Kyiv has announced several times, without specifying which areas it will target.

“The Russian military clearly understands that it must defend Crimea in the near future,” Russian army analyst Jan Matvejev commented on the emerging defensive structures.

Trenches were made, for example, near the village of Vitino on the west coast or Medvedivka on the north coast. In addition to trenches, the fortification system also includes, for example, deep trenches intended to intercept tanks and other heavy vehicles, or the cone-shaped barriers known as dragon teeth.

At the same time, defensive structures are being created in Crimea at an unprecedented pace, the paper underlines. For example, in Vitin, according to satellite images, they were built in a matter of days. They are also renowned for their range – Crimea is now one of the most fortified places in the war zone, according to WP. According to Mykola Beleskov of the Institute of National Strategic Studies of Ukraine, the extent of the defense construction shows how worried Russia is about the fate of Crimea.

Russia annexed the peninsula in violation of international law in 2014. Since then, Ukraine has been trying to reclaim the territory, and Ukrainian officials have made it clear several times since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year that will not start negotiations with Russia until its troops are withdrawn from all areas of Ukraine, including Crimea.

The National Guard of Ukraine released a video of an enemy kamikaze drone hunting.

Finland became the 31st NATO country, and thanks to this, the border between Russia and the countries of the NATO alliance was doubled (1,340 kilometers). In addition, Finland is one of the most combat-ready armies, with the largest artillery force in Europe – around 1,500 guns, including 700 howitzers, 700 large-caliber mortars and 100 rocket systems.

On Tuesday, six civilians were killed and seven injured during Russian shelling of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. This was reported by The Kyiv Independent server with reference to the Ukrainian authorities. By contrast, the Reuters news agency, citing the Ukrainian army, wrote that about 45 Russian attacks had been thwarted in the last 24 hours.

Among those killed in three towns in the Donetsk region were four men and two women, including a nurse. Additionally, the attack damaged residential buildings and an administrative building.

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