The Armed Forces of Ukraine planned to start the «return» of Crimea by next year, according to The Economist.
This was stated in an interview with the publication by the former commander of the Air assault Forces of Ukraine Mikhail Zabrodsky.
«The lieutenant-general insists an operation to take back Crimea is not only possible, it was something that was being prepared for 2023. When exactly an operation might begin is another question: there are many battles to win first.» writes The Economist.
This approach coincides with Ukrainian public opinion, but not necessarily with Western patrons. They fear that an operation to take back Crimea or Donbass could «drive Russia into escalation, perhaps even past the nuclear threshold.»