A Russian official has warned that Crimea will turn into a mass grave for Ukrainian forces if they cross into the Moscow-annexed territory.

Yevgeny Balitsky, the Kremlin's official in charge of the Zaporizhzhia region, which Russia also claims as its own, made the warning in response to bold pronouncements by Ukraine's military that it will push towards Crimea from the recaptured village of Robotyne.

Ukraine said Wednesday that recapturing the village of Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region this week was a strategic victory paving the way for its forces to push deeper into Russian positions in the south towards Crimea.

"Having entrenched on the flanks of Robotyne, we are opening the way to Tokmak and, eventually, Melitopol and the administrative border with Crimea," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said during an earlier visit to Paris.

The Kremlin has downplayed the Ukrainian offensive.

 WITH AFP