Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Getty
Ukrainian forces are working to force Russia to retreat from Kherson, a key region Russia seized in the early days of the war this year. But behind the scenes, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s administration is plotting next steps for a takeover of Crimea, which Russia has been occupying since 2014 when Vladimir Putin illegally annexed the peninsula.
The official responsible for the plan to take back Crimea and kick Russia out, Tamila Tasheva, told The Daily Beast she is looking to the battlefield and an underground network of informants in Crimea to help.
Tasheva has long believed the “main mechanism” for kicking Russia out will depend on political factors and diplomacy with allies. But as the invasion has raged into its ninth month and Ukraine has begun to gain momentum in counteroffensives, the military component of the Crimea takeover is upon the Ukrainian government.