Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stressed that his country will soon be able to take full fire control over Crimea and its adjacent waters.

Zelenskyy participated virtually in the Crimea Platform Summit on Tuesday. The conference was held in the Czech Republic capital of Prague to discuss matters involving the southern Ukrainian region of Crimea that Russia has annexed.

Zelenskyy said, "The Russian military fleet is no longer able to operate in the western part of the Black Sea and is gradually retreating from Crimea." He added, "This is a historic achievement."

The president said, "There are no longer any safe bases or entirely reliable logistical routes for Russian terrorists in Crimea and the occupied parts of the Black Sea and Azov coast."

He said, "As for now, we have not yet achieved full fire control over Crimea and its adjacent waters. But we will. It's just a matter of time."

Observers say Zelenskyy is hinting at the use of long-range missiles such as US-provided ATACMS to retake Crimea and adjacent occupied areas.

Russia's defense ministry said on Tuesday that Russian forces had destroyed three unmanned boats after they were detected off the coast of Crimea.

The ministry also announced that an anti-mining and anti-sabotage operation was being carried out off the port city of Sevastopol, home to Russia's Black Sea Fleet.