Your questions answered: If Western weapons are used to attack Crimea, is it directly involved in the conflict?
We have been putting your questions on the war to our experts and senior correspondents.
The latest comes from John, who asks whether Moscow can claim the US and UK are in direct confrontation with Russia if GMLRS and Storm Shadow missiles are used in an attempt to liberate Crimea.
Military analyst Sean Bell replies...
Following Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, the West has been steadily increasing the military aid provided to help Ukraine defeat the Russian aggressor. To date, this aid has not included military fighter jets but even that capability is now being discussed and it looks very likely that Ukraine will secure Western support to develop its own nascent air power capability in due course.
A key factor has been the West's increasing confidence that weapons supplied will not be used to attack Russian territory; this would risk escalating the conflict. Weapons such as Storm Shadow have a 300-mile range and could be used to target military capability well inside Russia itself, so Ukrainian reassurances have been critical.
The challenge for Ukraine is that they would almost certainly want to take the fight to Russia and not be constrained to fighting only on Ukrainian territory; however, needs must.
Long-range weapons do provide Ukraine the opportunity to target Russian logistics supplies and ammunition dumps – usually held some way back from the frontline. With Storm Shadow, all Russian military forces in occupied Ukraine are within range – a huge advantage for the current phase of Ukraine's counteroffensive.
Before Ukraine's attention can turn to Crimea, it must break down the established and formidable layered Russian defences stretching from Zaporizhzhia to the Donbas. Even then, although a relatively small land area, history suggests it will be very difficult for Ukraine to successfully liberate Crimea - not least because its enduring fortified defences withstood the Nazi forces in the Second World War.
In addition, currently the Russians are having to defend a 1,200km front line, leaving forces stretched, but if Russian forces had retreated to Crimea, their frontline would have shrunk considerably so they would have significantly greater density and strength in depth.
Russia considers Crimea to be Russian for historical reasons. If Crimea were under sustained and determined attack, Vladimir Putin might feel obliged to use all means at his disposal to avoid losing this strategically important asset.
However, even then, this would be a fight between Ukraine and Russia, and it is hard to see the West having any appetite to get directly involved.
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Vilianzia Crimea na vitaishia Crimea