Active operations by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) to block and strike infrastructure on the peninsula have forced the Russian command in Crimea to conduct special staff exercises. The main scenario involved repelling a possible Ukrainian amphibious landing.
Information about the exercises became public thanks to a publication by The Insider, cited by RBC-Ukraine. The event, dubbed "Crimean Wake-Up Call," involved Russian military expert, Colonel Viktor Murakhovsky (retired).
The "Red" and "Blue" Scenario
As part of the operational command-staff game, scenarios of Ukrainian army attacks aimed at liberating the peninsula were considered. The organizers assembled staffs from Russian Armed Forces officers who are in reserve or retired.
According to the scenario description, the "blue" side (modeling AFU actions) acted non-standardly, widely using the latest detection and strike means. In response, the "red" side (Russian occupiers) was forced to act exclusively within the framework of defensive tactics. According to a high-ranking source, the exercises proceeded smoothly.
Scenario Map: From Odesa to Kerch
To back up his words, Viktor Murakhovsky published a topographic map of Crimea and the adjacent Black Sea area in the 1942 coordinate system (SK-42). This system is used in the Russian graphic editor "Ravelin," intended for law enforcement agencies.
The map clearly shows routes running from the Odesa side and the northwestern part of the Black Sea towards the peninsula. These blue arrows indicate possible vectors of attack. In contrast, red defensive positions are marked, covering Sevastopol, northern and eastern Crimea, including the strategically important Kerch and the Kerch Strait.
From Amphibious Landing to Drones: Modern Warfare
An analysis of the map and expert comments allows us to conclude: the scenario modeled not a classic amphibious operation of World War II, but a modern hybrid war. The Russian command is preparing for the mass use of unmanned aerial vehicles, long-range precision weapons, and fast boats.
Such a scenario looks logical against the backdrop of the real situation. The AFU is methodically striking the defense and infrastructure of the occupiers. A bright example was the series of attacks on July 1 and 2, when within 48 hours Ukrainian drones struck 12 substations and one gas distribution station in temporarily occupied territories.
Pressure on Russian positions is not limited to Crimea. The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to strike deep into the aggressor's territory, as evidenced by recent fires at one of Russia's largest oil refineries.
