Defense Ministry predicts when UAF return to Crimea and likely time of war end

In an interview with Sky News, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Volodymyr Havrylov predicted that the Ukrainian armed forces might regain control of Crimea by the end of December 2022, and the war in Ukraine is likely to end by late spring next year.

"There is such a phenomenon as the "black swan”. I believe that this phenomenon can occur in Russia, which is likely to contribute to our success on the Crimean Peninsula. Of course, there is still an option for an armed solution with a combination of forces and means. We can step in Crimea, for example, by the end of December. Is this possible? Yes, it is possible. Not excluded that it be so," Havrylov said.

"As a realist, I believe that the Armed Forces of Ukraine should act according to plan and accumulate reserves. Of course, the Russians will still send (to the front - ed.) a lot of military personnel, and in this case, the war will continue for some time. However, I feel that the armed conflict will end before the end of spring."

As for the prospect of peace talks with the Kremlin, Havrylov said they would only take place when Russian troops are ready to leave every inch of Ukraine, including the Crimean Peninsula. He also stressed that Ukraine would never stop fighting for victory:

"There is a decision within society in Ukraine that we are going to the end. It doesn't matter what scenario is on the table. People have paid a lot of blood, a lot of effort for what we have already achieved, and everyone knows that any delay or frozen conflict is just a continuation of this war against the existence of Ukraine as a nation," the deputy defence minister claimed.