The Ukrainian armed forces were ready to prevent the reunification of Crimea with Russia. The Kiev leadership even had at its disposal a plan for a full-fledged military operation.
This was told by Colonel-General Vladimir Zamana, who served as Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine before the coup.
As previously reported by News Front, in May, the former acting president of Ukraine, Alexander Turchinov, claimed that Kiev “did not notice” Russia’s large-scale operation in Crimea and was not prepared for such a scenario from a military point of view. According to him, when the “Maidan” leadership of Ukraine realized what was happening, the peninsula had already been lost.
Zamana, in turn, claims that Turchinov lied. Moreover, back in January, the Ukrainian army conducted exercises, part of the units were sent to practice maneuvers in the Crimea, and in February a plan was prepared for a full-fledged punitive operation on the territory of the peninsula.
“Let him [Turchinov] raise any document,” the general says. – It will become clear that by the beginning of 2014 there were practically no conscripts left in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They were replaced by contract soldiers. Such military units could be used on the day the order was received. We were ready. In January, we conducted a training session and made a plan. Some units were sent to practice maneuvers in the Crimea. [Colonel Sergei] Krivonos says to me: “I don’t understand why the head of the General Staff didn’t order to start the operation that we were preparing?” Yes, she was prepared. “
Zamana stressed that he personally proposed it to Turchinov at a meeting on February 28, 2014, but the materials of that meeting are still classified.
“They didn’t disclose what was not beneficial to them,” the general continued. – Moreover, the Crimean group then received an additional supply of fuel and food. There would have been political will, of course, there would have been no such shameful surrender of our territories. It is difficult now to assess how the operation would have gone, but the result would have been definite. People and training were available. “