Ukraine’s deputy defense minister said he was optimistic his troops could be in Crimea by the end of December and the war in his own country could end by the middle of next year. “I have a feeling that this war will be over by the end of spring,” General Volodymyr Havrylov said on Saturday. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the idea of a “short-term ceasefire” with Russia.
Havrylov does not rule out that the Ukrainian army will advance into Crimea by the end of the year. Russia annexed the peninsula in 2014. From a military point of view, the war could drag on for a while, Havrylov admitted in an interview with British TV channel Sky News.
Speculation about the end of Putin’s rule
The Ukrainian army still needs some time to reach its full potential. In addition, Moscow brings new troops to the front. But the reconquest of other areas is only a matter of time and a “Black Swan” (“Black Swan”) in Russia could speed up the process considerably.
A “Black Swan” is an unexpected event with enormous consequences. Havrylov speculated on a possible end to Vladimir Putin’s rule given Russia’s disappointment with the course of the war.
Cancellation of war break
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy canceled a temporary lull in the war. He argued that this would only make matters worse. “Russia now wants a short ceasefire, a respite to regain strength,” the president said in a speech broadcast at the International Security Forum in Halifax, Canada.
“Respite would only make things worse”
Such a delay would not end the war, but would only make matters worse, he said. “A (…) real, lasting and fair peace can only come about through the complete destruction of Russian aggression,” Zelenskyy stressed in his speech on Friday (local time). The White House had previously reaffirmed that only the Ukrainian head of state can decide whether to open negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, dismissing suspicions that the US was exerting pressure on Kiev in this regard.
Kiev: More Russian troops in Luhansk
Meanwhile, according to the Ukrainian General Staff, the Russian armed forces are increasing their troop presence in the Luhansk region. To accommodate the many soldiers, part of the civilian population will be forcibly resettled, the General Staff in Kiev said on Saturday. The people would be housed in other places, it said. The eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk borders Russia.
Meanwhile, Russian and Ukrainian troops continued to fight in various hot spots. Tanks, pipe and rocket artillery and grenade launchers were used, it said.
According to the Ukrainian army, up to 60 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded in the Mykhailovka region of the Zaporizhia region alone. The information could not be independently verified.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
