Ukraine’s Intelligence Chief says Crimea will be de-occupied by both military and diplomatic means

Budanov shared the information in an interview with LIGA.net. 

According to the head of the Defence Intelligence, he does not pay attention to the warnings of Western analysts about the danger of liberating Crimea by military means, as it will be impossible to liberate the occupied peninsula exclusively through diplomacy. 

"I am not interested in listening to the opinions of some people who do not reflect the stance of the Ukrainian people. I have the opposite opinion. We will take back all the captured territories. Ukraine is a country recognized within its borders of 1991. Whoever disagrees with this, disagrees with the world order that has existed since the end of World War II and with the new principles of the UN," Budanov said. 

He stressed that Crimea will be recaptured in a combined way. 

"Crimea will be returned in a combined way: by force and diplomacy. But nothing will happen without applying force. Our units will go there with weapons in their hands," Budanov stressed. 

• On December 17, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov assured that Ukraine is ready to fight for the Russian-occupied Crimea.