Ukrainian diplomat comments on what it means to politically push Russians out of Crimea

Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko said this on Espreso.

"It seems to me that the "political pressure" from the president can be deciphered as the fact that Crimea simply needs to be turned into an island. Then the political decision of the Russian Federation will be the most realistic," Ohryzko said.

In his opinion, to make an island means to break the supply chain of weapons, equipment, and personnel to Crimea.

"Then there will be two options - either to condemn the grouping of Russian troops to total destruction. Even non-contact, because when we get long-range missiles, it can be done from the liberated territory in front of Crimea. Then there will be an option of destroying this group or a political decision that this group will leave, as it left Kherson, and so on. I think this option is realistic, but only if the Ukrainian Armed Forces can ensure that Crimea is cut off from all supply chains from the Russian Federation. This implies that the bridge across the Kerch Strait will follow the cruiser Moskva," the former minister summarized.

• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that when the Ukrainian Defense Forces reach the administrative border with occupied Crimea, it will be possible to "push for Russia's demilitarization" in Crimea through political means. 

• "Fewer victims. If we are on the administrative or conditional borders with Crimea, I believe that it is possible to politically push for Russia's demilitarization in the territory of Ukrainian Crimea. I think that would be better. I am thinking, first of all, about those who will implement it," he said.