Military expert Petro Chernyk believes that Crimea cannot be returned to Ukraine by diplomatic means, the only way to de-occupy is military action.

"War is a path of deception. I would like to remind you of the brilliant Kharkiv operation carried out by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. An operation that, in fact, few people could predict and see. Therefore, it is impossible to guess where the real concentration of strike and concentration of forces and means will take place," Chernyk told Espresso.

The specialist also commented on the issue of the de-occupation of Crimea by Ukraine.

"The main strategic goal for Ukraine is the liberation of all temporarily occupied territories. And I do not believe in any diplomatic agreements on Crimea, as such. In general, there is a false narrative that diplomats decide something. Diplomats are only intermediaries between centers of power and those people who make decisions. Crimea can only be liberated by military means," Chernyk added.

• On August 23, 2021, heads of delegations from more than 40 countries and international organizations launched the Crimean Platform in Kyiv. It was formed to end the Russian occupation of the peninsula by peaceful means.

• As a result of the summit, the participants adopted a Joint Declaration, which provides a detailed assessment of the illegal and aggressive actions of the Russian Federation. The declaration fixes the following theses: non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia; the obligation to consider additional political, and restrictive diplomatic sanctions against Russia in the event of further aggression; uniting the efforts of all countries participating in the platform to strengthen security and stability in the Black Sea region.