Can Ukraine take back Crimea? A Biden admin official says it can: Report

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The next significant phase in the ongoing Ukraine war could be any West-backed attempt to change the status of Russia-occupied Crimea as itcould lead to a seismic shift in regional geopolitics.

An official from US President Joe Biden's administration recently told members of the Congress that Ukraine has the military capability to take back Crimea—a peninsula which was annexed by Russia in 2014 after a referendum that Ukraine and the West never recognised.

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But as reported by NBC News on December 16, two US officials familiar with the matter stated that concerns were raised over any attempt of a large-scale offensive to take back Crimea, as it could push Russian President Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons.

The report mentioned that during the Ukraine briefing to some members of the Congress in late November, a discussion around the need for more weapons deliveries also happened.

WATCH |Ukraine forces shelled Russia-controlled Donetsk, Russian officials

On being asked about America's continued support for the Ukrainian military and whether or not Ukraine would try to retake Crimea, the Biden official said that Ukraine now has the ability to take it back.

According to the experts, there is no probability of the Ukrainian offensive in Crimea at this crucial juncture. Some experts are also of the opinion that the way the Russia-Ukraine war is progressing now, this doesn't seemimminent.

As quoted by the report, a USofficial said that the Ukrainians "continue to shock the world with how well they’re performing on the battlefield."

Earlier in the month, Kremlin said that it was vulnerable to Ukrainian attacks on the Crimean peninsula after the Russian military downed a drone near its largest city.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had told reporters that "there are certain risks because the Ukrainian side continues its policy of organising terrorist attacks. But, on the other hand, the information we get indicates that effective countermeasures are being taken".

Has Ukraine attacked Russian forces in Crimea?

Moscow claimed that Ukraine attempted to target Russian forces in Crimea. But there's no confirmation.

Some known attacks on Russian troops since July include a drone strike that hit Russia’s Black Sea fleet in Sevastopol. There were also reports of explosions at a suspected Russian ammunition dump.

In October, the Kerch bridge in eastern Crimea, which connects it to mainland Russia, was partially destroyed in an attack attributed to Ukraine by Moscow, but Kyiv denied it.

Some Ukrainian officials reportedly celebrated the incident. The bridge is a showcase project of Putin's rule.

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