Ukraine Sends a Curious and Rather Desperate Message to London

Nov. 19, 2022 (EIRNS)—Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Maj. Gen. Volodymyr Havrylov (ret.) was sent to London to push for only a military solution. He was interviewed today by Sky News Security and Defense Editor Deborah Haynes. His message:

No peace talks without Russia leaving Crimea and all of Ukraine: “There is a decision inside the society in Ukraine that we are going up to the end. It doesn’t matter what kind of scenario is on the table. People paid a lot of blood, a lot of efforts to what we have already achieved. And everybody knows that any delay or frozen conflict is only the continuation of this war against the existence of Ukraine as a nation.”

He offered the “black swan” possibility of a regime change in Russia, when asked about the retaking of Crimea: “It’s only a matter of time and, of course, we would like to make it sooner than later.... I think Russia can face a black swan in their country, inside Russia and it can contribute to the success of us with Crimea.” He gave the example such an otherwise rare “black swan” event as Putin getting very ill or dying, or as a change in government.

He added that there was “also a military option as well with some kind of combination of forces, resources and something else. We can step in Crimea, for example, by the end of December. Possible, possible. Not excluded that it be so.” There was a whiff of “Hitler in the bunker” in Havrylov’s performance.

The reality behind his desperate message is that Kiev is up against the wall, without prospects for any other victories, and Russia in a more relentless mode. This was reflected in his comments that Ukraine simply did not have a choice, and that the Russians are on the verge of replenishing their stocks and bringing in reinforcements. “They’re interested in just making a pause in this war to regroup, to bring more people from the motherland ... that’s the dream. That’s why ... we have no right to stop. We have to advance.”