The escalation of the military-political conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues. Parties report regular shelling and tension growth.
haqqin.az asked the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anna Mary to comment on the current situation.
– How do you rate the likelihood of the invasion of Russian troops into the territory of Donbass? Especially after large-scale escalation?
– Russian troops invaded the territory of Ukraine in 2014. We cannot talk about the invasion, as it happened eight years ago. Now it is incorrect to talk about the invasion. We can talk about the probability of escalation and promotion of Russian troops deep into the territory of Ukraine. Such a risk existed every day for 8 years.
– What is the number of contingent of Russian troops in Donbass? Does such information have the Government of Ukraine?
– We publicly reveal information about the grouping of Russian troops along the border of Ukraine, the number of more than 100 thousand military. In addition, speaking of troops concentrated on the border, we must take into account that we are talking about the ground presence of the ground forces. If we talk about the navy and air force, then we are talking about a much big scale.
– Why am universal mobilization are announced against the background of exacerbation at the front?
– We have such exacerbations all the time.
– Is it possible to say that the government does not consider the issue of universal mobilization against the background of exacerbation?
– We have examined all scenarios. We can’t announce them.
– Russia began the process of issuing passports on the territory of the separatist “DNR” and “LNR”. The identical process was observed in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which ultimately led to the recognition of these separatist republics by Russia. How high the danger of such a situation development?
– We know that Russia issues passports to our citizens. And the Russian Federation does not hide the number of issued passports – it’s about hundreds of thousands. It is not correct to compare the situation in Ukraine with other events. Each situation is individual. And we are ready for any development of events. Armed Forces are ready to reflect the attack.
– the evaluation sounds that Ukraine should refuse to attempt to return the occupied land of Donbass, since the inhabitants of this region can no longer return. Many of them, as you said, acquired by Russian passports, and the industrial potential completely destroyed. Why do this land and these people need to return?
– Our task is to return the territory of Ukraine temporarily occupied in 2014. These are areas that legally belong to Ukraine and there can be no other opinions here.