Ukrainian official predicts that the liberation of the Donbas will begin in the fall
The Deputy Minister for the temporarily occupied territories and internally displaced people, George Tuka, stated on Espreso.TV that the liberation of the occupied territories of the Donbas from separatists and Russian servicemen will start in autumn 2017, Ukrinform reported.
Tuka noted that the issue of the liberation of the Crimea and the Donbas from Russian occupation should be separated from each other because, according to him, it will take much more time to return the annexed peninsula.
“Regarding the return of the Donbas, I have a clear impression that that we would be able to start the process of the return of these territories in autumn. Most likely, in a non-military way and I sincerely hope that everything would be like I said,” Tuka noted. According to him, this would happen not because Ukraine has agreed to hold elections in the Donbas, but because Russia ceases economic support of these territories under pressure.
“According to calculations by experts, even if a military component is left on the table, the central government of Ukraine would need a maximum of three months to restore order in the Donbas if Russia ceases economic support,” George Tuka believes.