Ukraine is beginning to withdraw the Crimean peninsula from Russian occupation, and the goals, which are part of a well-structured plan for this, are already being gradually achieved. Among them is an increase in the number of long-range attacks on resource centers in Crimea, including strategic warehouses and fuel bases. In addition, Kyiv will no longer allow Russia to have a combat fleet in the Black Sea. This was stated by Mykhailo Podolyak, chief adviser to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi, in an interview with a HotNews.ro correspondent.

“What the representatives of the General Staff of Ukraine and representatives of the counter-intelligence department of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine are saying is clear: plans to liberate Crimea are beginning to be implemented. For this reason, the intensity of hostilities is increasing, i.e. the destruction of strategic warehouses, airships, the transport material and technical base on the peninsula, the number of bombings, including the use of long-range missiles, is increasing. Moreover, certain ground operations are starting,” Mykhailo Podoliak told HotNews.ro.

• VIDEO Ukraine launched a “special operation” in Crimea

The Ukrainian official also claims that the authorities in Kyiv see no other way to liberate Crimea, except by military means, which the international community also agrees with. According to Podoliak, the proof of this is the discussions within the third edition of the Crimean Platform.

“Yes, this does not mean that Crimea will be liberated tomorrow, but ground operations, special forces operations are taking place on the territory of the peninsula. And all this will increase. Why – that’s why, and here I turn to the Crimean platform, which you mentioned – if in 2021, when the first edition of the Crimean platform took place, practically no country, except for Ukraine, could even assume that Crimea could be liberated by military means. Now, in principle, more than 60 countries that participated in the third edition of the Crimean Platform believe that Crimea can be liberated, that is, the issue of liberation from Russian occupation can only be solved by military means. Crimea will be liberated by military means. It is also clear that no political and diplomatic efforts can be applied, and I do not see how this term can be applied in the case of the Russian Federation. Russia must be defeated,” says Podolyak.

Volodymyr Zelenskyi, the chief adviser of the Office of the President, also stated that he does not have an exact date when the process of liberating Crimea will be completed, because it also depends on the supply of weapons by foreign partners.

• The full interview with Mykhailo Podolyak will be published on HotNews.ro early next week.