Donbas will be harder to liberate than Crimea – Ukraine's Defence Intelligence chief

Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence, believes that temporarily occupied Donbas will be more difficult for  Ukraine to reclaim than Crimea.

Source: Budanov, in an interview with the French edition of Liberation

Quote: "I believe that retaking Donbas will be more difficult. Because there is a continuous supply line, and their troops can use it from either side. Crimea was once considered an impregnable fortress by those who owned it, but it was ultimately lost. Exactly like Ukraine ten years ago. Today, the Russians still have a land corridor into Crimea. The Crimean bridge is still standing, but it may not be for much longer."

According to him, the liberation of Crimea requires two strategic tasks: cutting off the land corridor and destroying the Crimean bridge.

"The rest is just a matter of time. The peninsula will be brought back. Situation with Donbas is more difficult," Budanov said.

He is also convinced that if Russia loses Crimea, it will not risk nuclear escalation.

Quote: "There were already numerous reasons for using nuclear weapons, possibly dozens. And so what? In the Russian doctrine, nuclear weapons are regarded as a ‘deterrent.’ This is what everyone is afraid of and speculates about. However, Russia will pay a much higher price for using nuclear weapons than for not using them."

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