Ukraine's Armed Forces may enter Crimea by yearend, given certain conditions - military expert Prytula

Mykhailo Prytula, a military expert, a reserve colonel of Ukraine's Security Service, an expert in military counterintelligence, said this on Espreso TV. 

According to him, Ukraine's Armed Forces may reach Crimea by the end of December 2022, if the Russian Federation stops sending a large number of mobilized troops to the south of Ukraine and the Russian forces run out of munitions, food, and winter clothing. Mykhailo Prytula noted that then the Russians will have only one option - to flee from the south to Crimea.

“Theoretically, this is possible. However, we understand that Putin will defend his life, because he understands that a military defeat in Ukraine will cost him his positions and his life. Therefore, Shoigu and the military will do everything to prevent this from happening,” he noted.

The military expert believes that the Russian Federation will most likely transfer mobilized soldiers, who are being gradually equipped to prevent the Ukrainian Armed Forces' advance, to Ukraine. In this case, the Ukrainian military will not advance until they destroy this group.  The same will happen in the north of the Luhansk region.

“These are still long processes that are unlikely to end by the end of December, because Putin will involve the resources he has, in particular a large number of manpower and infantry, which is exhausting the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” Mykhailo Prytula emphasized.