The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced, in a press conference on Friday, that armed members of the Ukrainian armed forces were sent abroad to train to control the Crimea peninsula.
“Military steps are being taken and we are preparing for them… We’re mentally prepared, and we are technically preparing weapons and forces, forming brigades and offensive units of various kinds, and sending people for training not only in Ukraine, as it known, but also in other countries,” Zelensky said.
In early February, Acting Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klimenko announced that Kiev had begun forming offensive brigades to seize Crimea and Donbas.
According to Klimenko, the project was called the Offensive Guard.
In addition, US under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland said last week that the United States supports Ukrainian strikes against military facilities located in Crimea, as she described it as legitimate targets for Kiev.
In response, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “This confirms Washington’s role as the main catalyst for international tension”.
In early February, a secret Pentagon statement stated that Kiev doesn’t have the ability to seize Crimea.
