“Clarification: the drone was hit…right above the fleet headquarters. It fell on the roof and caught fire. The attack failed. Well done boys,” he wrote.
Razvozhayev also called for the citizens of Crimea to remain calm after the videos of the attack circulated online.
“I understand that many are worried,” Razvozhayev said. “But that is exactly what the Ukrainian Reich” — a reference to Russia’s false characterization of Ukraine as a Nazi state — “wants to achieve.”
However, worried civilians are calling out Russian counterparts and asking for a more transparent answer from the government.
“Was our air defence system on a lunch break?”
“When will you finally close the city?” asked another user.
“We fought harder against the coronavirus! There were checkposts everywhere then, now anyone and everyone enters!!!!” another person responded.
Most wonder if they will still be safe after the Ukrainian Army continues to press forward in Crimea. Many are also weary of the date Aug. 24, the Independence Day of Ukraine. Since Crimea used to be part of their nation, will this be a deciding date for them to take it back?
“They have Independence Day on the 24th, maybe they are preparing something? And the [drone] is just to divert attention from the main thing.”
More images of antiaircraft fire entering Crimean skies have also rung the alarm on the locals, especially since social media images and videos continue to get shared at a drastic speed. While Kremlin continues to feed local media with the so-called “special military operation” to save Ukraine from the Nazis, the message is beginning to go stale.
“People are beginning to feel that the war is coming to them,” Andrei Kortunov, director general of the Russian International Affairs Council, a research organization close to the Russian government, said in a phone interview. “I think this is serious.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s public statements also add to the tension. Though somewhat filtered, Russian locals can still get access to Ukrainian public broadcasts shared through social media. And as per Ukraine’s updates, their “recapturing” of Crimea started on the Aug. 9 strike, and they have ongoing plans to move forward.
“One can literally feel in the air of Crimea that the occupation there is temporary, and Ukraine is returning,” Zelensky said.
Crimea is a critical point in this Russo-Ukraine war. This is the land that Russian President Vladimir Putin called the “holy land.” This is also a vital military base and an open port for international trade.
Crimea holds a strong symbol for both Russia and Ukraine. The question is, who will finally claim Crimea as their own?
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