"This is our strategic goal": Umierov gave a forecast on the liberation of Crimea

Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umierov said that Ukrainian soldiers could liberate the Autonomous Republic of Crimea next year. According to him, the expulsion of Russian occupants from the peninsula is a strategic goal.

Umierov emphasized that Vladimir Putin's dictatorial regime is condemned by the entire civilized world, so there is no doubt about Ukraine's success. He said this in an interview with the German newspaper Bild.

The head of the defense ministry did not elaborate on the details of the planned operations for 2024. However, he noted that he was optimistic.

In particular, Umierov said that the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed by the terrorist country Russia in 2014, could be liberated next year.

"I am 100 percent sure. This is our strategic goal. The Russian Federation is on the dark side of the world. And more importantly, the Putin regime is condemned by the entire civilized world. There is no doubt that we will win," Umierov said.

In a comment to Hromadske, Defense Ministry spokesman Ilarion Pavlyuk said that the German tabloid newspaper Bild had distorted the words of Defense Minister Rustem Umierov about the timing of the liberation of Crimea.

Pavlyuk explained that the defense minister did not claim that Crimea would be liberated in 2024. The journalist asked this question several times, but the minister avoided making any precise predictions with dates.

As a reminder, the Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in Crimea Tamila Tasheva said that the Ukrainian Defense Forces were unable to enter the territory of Crimea in 2023 due to a number of objective reasons. "Due to the difficult situation on the peninsula, our troops are somewhat behind schedule, but they are still making progress.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Crimea, which was seized by Russia in 2014, would probably be easier to de-occupy than Donbas. It is not only about liberating the territories but also about the mental return of people to Ukraine.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!