“Time to get out of here before the HIMARS destroys everything” – Kyiv Post analyzes the reactions of the Russian side and the local residents of Crimea.

by Aleksandra Klitina

Despite Shoigu’s threats of striking “decision-making centers in Kyiv,” Ukrainian forces struck and damaged a key automobile bridge to the Crimea Peninsula with long-range missiles reportedly of British/French origin, on Thursday June 22, in the latest Ukrainian attack against vital Russian military logistics routes.

Local residents reported three explosions at around 5 a.m. on the E105 highway near the town of Chonhar. This is a stretch of causeway, over a 100-meter-wide inlet from the Sea of Azov, an area that is salt marsh saturated with water even in dry seasons.

The following night, June 23, the Russian side launched 13 missiles, which were intercepted by Ukrainian air defense forces.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner PMC, angrily commented on the Russian Command’s reaction to the Chonhar bridge attack.

“We haven’t had any red lines for a long time; we only have brown stains on our pants. Every time the enemy [Ukrainian Army] strikes our territory, I make up stories about nighttime missile strikes that usually hit transformers without causing any damage to the enemy,” said the head of Wagner.

Russian ultra-nationalist Igor Strelkov also criticized the Russian leadership’s reaction to the Ukrainians crossing “red lines”:

“Medvedev promised the esteemed Kyiv partners a strike on their ‘decision-making centers’ if they crossed the ‘red lines.’ The partners didn’t pay attention and crossed the ‘red lines.’ Medvedev quietly retreated.

Shoigu promised the esteemed partners in Kyiv a strike on their ‘decision-making centers’ if they crossed the ‘red lines.’ The partners didn’t listen and crossed the ‘red lines.’ Shoigu has quietly retreated.

“Now it’s the president’s turn. But since he’s not in charge of military matters, maybe he’ll keep quiet… He has eco-tourism and many celebrations,” Strelkov wrote on his Telegram.

However, Crimean residents appear alarmed by the attacks on Crimean territory and are even considering evacuating the peninsula.

“Many of us Crimeans are now considering a plan to evacuate the peninsula. It smells like paraffin. It’s time to get out of here before the HIMARS destroys all our hard-earned property. However, some fools are still amused. They understand it as well as a giraffe. Let the people of Shebekino [Belgorov region of Russia attacked by partisans] in exile explain our bleak future.”

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/18598