According to Russia Today, a former Ukrainian commander told the Economist that the operation was being planned for 2023, but declined to give more details.
Former air assault commander, Mikhail Zabrodsky told the outlet that if the army announced its intentions on social media or television, it would “never achieve anything.” He did admit, however, that an operation designed to retake the peninsula would not be a “senseless frontal assault” and would be done using a combination of land troops, sea landings, and air attacks, including the use of drones.
“We will surprise people—and many times—again,” he said.
However, Zabrodsky, who claims to remain close to the military planning process in Kyiv, stressed that there are still many battles to win before the army could consider a timeframe for such an attack.
Military experts have warned that an effort to forcefully retake Crimea or the territories of the Donbass republics, which recently joined Russia after holding public referendums, could prove costly for Kyiv and drive Moscow to escalate, perhaps even to the use of tactical nuclear weapons.
MNA