Ukraine May Capture Crimea This Year, UK Defense Minister
The UK Secretary of State for Defense, Ben Wallace, believes that Ukrainian forces could seize Crimea this year, unlike other representatives from NATO countries. He stated that this might be possible if Russia exhausts its military capabilities, as reported by Ria.ru.
It is worth mentioning that the Russian Foreign Ministry has claimed that Western countries are urging Kyiv to continue offensive operations and the occupation of Russian territories, despite understanding that such plans are doomed to fail.
Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, noted that a potential attack on Crimea would escalate the conflict and urged Ukrainian authorities to understand that such actions would meet with "inevitable retribution," utilizing any type of weapon.
The head of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, declared that attempts by Kyiv to regain the peninsula by force could lead to new territorial losses for Ukraine and the loss of thousands of military lives.