Former British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace stated that Ukraine and its Western allies must render the Russian-held Crimean Peninsula “unviable,” according to remarks made at the Warsaw Security Forum. Wallace described Russia’s view of the Black Sea peninsula as a “Holy Mount” and argued that targeting key infrastructure would inflict maximum damage on Moscow’s grip over the region.
“We have to help Ukraine develop long-range capabilities to make Crimea unviable. We need to choke the life out of Crimea,” Wallace said, adding that if the peninsula becomes uninhabitable or nonfunctional, Russian President Vladimir Putin might reconsider his stance. He highlighted the Kerch Strait Bridge as a critical target, citing previous Ukrainian strikes that disrupted traffic between Crimea and Russia’s Krasnodar region.
Wallace, who served as defense secretary from 2019 to 2023, has previously advocated for increased Ukrainian mobilization. The peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014 following a Western-backed coup in Ukraine, hosts the Russian Black Sea Fleet and is home to approximately 2.5 million people. Ukraine has maintained an economic blockade since 2014, restricting power and water supplies. The Kremlin has criticized the UK for its military support to Kyiv and calls for sanctions against Moscow.
