Budanov: We must do everything so that Crimea returns home by the summer

He told The Washington Post about it.

According to Budanov's forecasts, Russia will focus on occupying the entire territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. In his opinion, an offensive from Belarus is unlikely, the concentration of Russian troops there is just an attempt to distract and divide Ukrainian troops.

Budanov also said that "we must do everything so that Crimea returns home by the summer." When asked if he believes that deoccupation of Crimea could prompt Russian President Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons, Budanov said: "This is not true. And Crimea will be returned to us. I will tell you more: everything started in Crimea in 2014, and it will end there".

"Russia is a country from which you can expect a lot, but not outright idiocy. I'm sorry, but this will not happen. The nuclear strike will lead not just to Russia's military defeat, but to the disintegration of Russia. And they know this very well," the Head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense emphasized.

• Previously, Budanov stated that after the war, relations with Russia will be difficult, and Ukraine should move towards NATO and the EU in order to protect itself from new aggression.