MOSCOW, 21 Nov. Ukraine has no military force, no resources for an attack on the Crimea, so Kyiv will not go beyond words, Viktor Bondarev, chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security, wrote in his Telegram channel.
“Ukraine has neither the resources, nor the military force, nor the support of the Crimeans for the promised offensive on the peninsula. The West will also not make real efforts to help Ukraine in this adventure. Therefore, the Kyiv authorities will not go beyond the “announcement” level,» he said. he.
Earlier, the head of the office of Vladimir Zelensky, Andriy Yermak, said that Kyiv plans to launch a military campaign to take control of Crimea. At the same time, he did not name the timing of the offensive on the peninsula.
Calling statements about plans to take Crimea «reckless and arrogant», the senator expressed confidence that this is nothing more than flirting with his own citizens, the desire to convince them of the coming victory, as well as an attempt to boost the morale of the Ukrainian military and «splurge Western patrons in the hope of their increased assistance.»
«Statements of the Ukrainian side about the intention to «return» Crimea sound reckless and impudent. Russia returned Crimea in the spring of 2014, since this is our ancestral territory, and its inhabitants themselves wished to be our country. Crimea is forever with Russia,» Bondarev said.
Crimea became a Russian region in March 2014 following a referendum after a coup in Ukraine. In the referendum, 96.77% of voters in Crimea and 95.6% in Sevastopol voted for joining Russia. Ukraine still considers Crimea its own, but temporarily occupied territory, many Western countries support Kyiv in this. The Russian leadership has repeatedly stated that the inhabitants of Crimea democratically, in full accordance with international law and the UN Charter, voted for reunification with Russia. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the issue of Crimea «is finally closed.»