Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he would reclaim the territory 'Crimea' lost to Russia eight years ago in this war, dpa news agency reported.
According to the report, President Zelensky said in a video statement on the 13th (local time), "Ukrainian flags will be waving at Yalta, Sudak, Jankoy and Yeupatoriya (Cities in Crimea). will be liberated,” he said.
Although President Zelensky has always expressed his position that Crimea should be returned, this is the first time he has stated this as an explicit war goal, dpa news agency noted.
In 2014, Russia forcibly annexed Crimea using its military force to protect its citizens during the chaos caused by large-scale protests and regime change in Ukraine.
At that time, there was a referendum on whether to annex Russia in Crimea, but the international community does not recognize the result.
There are many speculations that the Russian military, which is currently occupying the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, will follow a similar procedure to the Crimea in the region.
President Zelensky said that fierce fighting is taking place in Severodonetsk, which is considered a strategic point in the Donbass region, "the number of casualties is too high. It is too scary."
Ukrainian Defense Minister Olexi Rezhnikow previously disclosed the number of Ukrainian military casualties, stating that about 100 Ukrainian soldiers are being killed a day, and that 500 are wounded.
Severodonetsk is the largest city of the Luhansk Oblast in the Donbass region.
Ukrainian forces still control it, but Russian forces are increasing the level of the offensive.
The governor of Luhansk, Serhi Haidai, has also said that the Russian army currently occupied 70-80% of the city.
President Zelensky once again urged Western countries to support arms, saying, "We are facing an overwhelming viciousness. But we have no choice but to go further and liberate our territory."
In an interview with German state broadcaster ZDF, President Zelensky pressured German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, saying, "I would like it to be clearer that Germany supports Ukraine (rather than Russia)."
President Zelensky said Germany should not try to find a balance between Russia and Ukraine, saying, "Prime Minister Scholz and the German government must make a decision.