Crimea is shaping up to be the battleground that will decide the Russia-Ukraine war

• Crimea is poised to be the next big battlefield, and one that could decide the Ukraine war.
• "The decisive terrain for this war is Crimea," Ben Hodges, a former commander of US Army Europe, told Insider.
• Ukraine will "never be safe or secure" if Russia retains control of Crimea, Hodges said.

The war in Ukraine is poised to become even more violent this year with a major Russian offensive expected and more advanced Western-made weapons pouring in to bolster Ukrainian forces. Along these lines, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg recently warned that the war has entered a "decisive phase."