Intelligence chief: Ukraine will return occupied Crimea by force

Ukraine will liberate the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula by a combination of military force and diplomacy, Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Intelligence Directorate, told Liga.net.

“But nothing will happen without force. Our units will go there with weapons in hand,” said Budanov. He added that Ukraine would return all the territories occupied by Russia.

“Ukraine is a country recognized within the borders of 1991, and whoever does not agree with this does not agree with the world order that has existed since the end of the Second World War and with the principles of the UN,” the intelligence chief told Liga.net.

Budanov also said he doesn’t expect a fundamental change on the Ukrainian front lines in the winter as “Russia is currently at a dead end.”

Russian troops are not particularly successful in Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast – the only area where Russia is currently conducting an offensive.

As for Russian mass missile attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Budanov noted that Russia conducts such strikes less often than it did before due to “the rapid decrease” of its missile arsenal.

“Their industry is not capable of covering the amount they consume. Despite all their efforts, it is unreal,” said Budanov added that Russia is seeking to buy 122 and 152 mm projectiles, tank high-explosive shells, and missiles for the “Grad” and “Uragan” multiple launch rocket systems “all over the world.”