The island is located in a strategic location. The Ukrainian bombing mission was only designed to destroy all the buildings on the island -- to make them unusable to the Russians. That mission was a success, as demonstrated by the before and after photographs.
Sounds like an excuse, after a failed mission. Let's use our critical thinking.
The location is strategic, but it matters when you have ships to use it strategically.
You said the mission was to destroy buildings. Ok. have you seen those buildings? Do you really think it was worth wasting aircraft and pilots to destroy those sheds?
Let's look at the photo:
The main building is the lighthouse, 6 little storages near docks, just one building looking like barracks (no more than for 100 hundred people, rather much less), and 3 additional buildings (little buildings).
What is the point to bomb it? It's cheap and very easily fixable and it's hard to destroy it completely. Actually i have not seen footage where those buildings were showed as completly destroyed (just damaged but usable). That is strange if Mi6 and CIA provide intel for Ukraine from satellites. If you have it i would appreciate it.
Moreover, even if those buildings were absolutely ruined, Russia would set up a module camp just like if the island was empty. The army of Russia is not terrorists from isis or insurgents from middle Asia who don't have sources to build infrastructure. Look at this АПЛ-500 (Autonomous field camp 500). Number 500 means that its camp can be used by 500 soldiers. it's 5-10 times more than normal garrison for this island. So i think APL 500 even too much for this little island. It would be enough to use something more simple and cheap.
Now lets think further. BBC says (as well as Ukrainian TG channels) that Ukraine lost 3 pilots on 9 may, one of them - Igor Bedzay, he was Deputy Commander of the Ukrainian Navy Aviation (Ukraine claims him as one of the best pilot.
When we read "lost" it means aircraft is also lost. And when we understand that aircraft is lost it means that everybody on board are dead (or captured), and forces on land (or sea) were left without air support or evacuation. Now think about consequences for troops without air support. So now we have a big question - was these loses worth to damadge a few old cheap buildings?
p.s Don't forget that every Ukrainian pilot is Irreplaceable loss. Ukraine can't train new pilots, NATO will not allow western pilots to participate in war (even if the could pilot soviet aircrafts).
p.p.s All this information above from western sources. And even from western sources looks pretty bad for Ukraine. I've seen information from Russian Ministry of Defense, it's more detailed, but i didn't provide it to you because you would not believe.
