Ukraine To Return Crimea With Help Of Weapons From Allies - Reznikov

Ukraine can return the occupied territories, including Crimea and Donbas, with the help of weapons from allies. This was announced by Minister Oleksii Reznikov in an interview with CNN.

Reznikov noted that the liberation of Crimea is a strategic goal for Ukraine.

"We are going to liberate all our territories, including Crimea - this is a strategic goal for Ukraine, because this is Ukrainian territory and we will move step by step," Reznikov said.

The head of the Ministry of Defense also noted that the first step would be to stabilize the situation on the ground in order to prevent further losses against Russian forces.

The second phase, he said, is to get Russian troops back into position before a full-scale invasion on February 24.

Reznikov noted that only at the third stage will there be negotiations with Ukraine's partners on how to liberate territories, including Crimea.

When asked by a journalist whether an attempt to return Crimea by military means could further provoke the Russian Federation, he replied:

"It doesn't matter. Because they (the Russians) will see it in Kherson, they will see it in Zaporizhzhia, they will also see it in Mariupol ... because these are Ukrainian lands, and Crimea is also Ukrainian land, no matter what," Reznikov summed up.

As Ukrainian News Agency reported, the head of the Defense Intelligence, Budanov, said that Ukraine would return all territories, including Crimea and Donbas, by the end of the year.

At the beginning, Shoigu said that the Russian Federation had opened a land corridor to Crimea.