Russians Pulling Artillery To North Of Occupied Crimea. Defense Ministry Tells Why They Do It

Russian troops are increasing the concentration of heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) in the north of occupied Crimea near the administrative border with Kherson region.

The speaker of the Ministry of Defense Oleksandr Motuzianyk announced this during a briefing.

According to him, such actions of the Russian troops serve several goals.

"Of course, this is a so-called maneuver, this is a build-up of forces so that the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine located in certain areas remain there and do not move to other operational zones," Motuzianyk said.

Besides, the invaders' command plans to capture not only Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but to keep the territory of Kherson region under its control.

Artillery now being pulled to the north of the occupied Crimea is likely to be used in future battles for Kherson region.

Earlier we reported that at the end of April, Russian troops in the occupied territory of Kherson region began preparations for holding a so-called "referendum" on the creation of a "people's republic" in the region, similar to those that were formed in the Donbas in 2014.

We also wrote that on May 7, the advisor to the head of the President's Office, Mykhailo Podoliak, said that Kherson and Kherson region would be liberated by Ukrainian troops as tough as possible for the invaders.