Russia strengthens Crimean defenses. “Dragon’s teeth” are intended to prevent the advance of ground troops. But the tactic hasn’t always worked so far.
Feodosiya – For months, the Ukrainian army has wanted to continue fighting its way towards the Sea of Azov as part of its counteroffensive. Once this milestone has been achieved, Kiev should concentrate on Crimea – after all, President Volodymyr Zelenskyj has long since declared the reconquest of the annexed peninsula as a war goal. Now new satellite images show that Russia is preparing for a Ukrainian ground attack using so-called “dragon teeth”.
Video clips released on Monday (October 2) by Atesh, a military movement of Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars, show rows of defenses near Feodosiya. The port city lies on the eastern edge of the Black Sea Peninsula, southwest of the Kerch Strait, which connects the disputed territory with mainland Russia. The Kerch Bridge has been attacked by Ukraine several times in the past.
Dragon’s Teeth in Crimea: Russian resources were powerless against the Challenger 2 tank
Dragon teeth are pointed concrete blocks that are intended to prevent the advance of tanks and ground troops. They are not a new phenomenon; Russia has already used the tactic several times in the fight against Ukraine. In principle, the blocks are usually not too difficult to remove, but they slow down an offensive. In May, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry released a video showing one of its British Challenger 2 tanks smoothly pushing aside.
Many months before the Ukrainian counteroffensive began in early June, Russia had already begun deploying dragon’s teeth around the captured city of Mariupol and in the occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, according to the British government. “These activities indicate that Russia is making significant efforts to prepare a defense in depth behind its current front line that could prevent rapid Ukrainian advances in the event of a breakthrough,” London said just over a year ago, in November 2022.
Expert on Russian defense lines: “Certainly doesn’t radiate trust”
But overall, the Russian defenses in Crimea are increasing. Moscow has erected a series of dragon teeth not only in Feodosiya, but also in the north of the island, near the important logistics city of Dzhankoi. “The Russian military is apparently aware that Crimea will have to be defended in the near future,” said Russian military analyst Ian Matveyev last April Washington Post.
Frederik Mertens, strategic analyst at The Hague Center for Strategy Studies, shares the same view. Opposite Newsweek the expert explained that the dragon’s teeth near Feodosiya would make strategic sense. “This would be the logical fallback position for Russian forces withdrawing from the north,” Mertens said. There, Russia could “take position again and gather forces for a counteroffensive.” It is difficult to say whether one expects an imminent attack from Ukraine, but it “certainly does not exude confidence to prepare the defense so far back.”
Meanwhile, the Russian military is also set to move air defense systems to the inland Crimean capital of Simferopol and strengthen the defense structures there. This was announced by the National Resistance Center of Ukraine at the beginning of the week. (nak)
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