Ukraine will not attempt a military move to prevent the southern Crimean peninsula's breakaway in order not to expose its eastern border, Ukraine's acting president Oleksandr Turchynov told AFP Tuesday in an exclusive interview.
"We cannot launch a military operation in Crimea, as we would expose the eastern border and Ukraine would not be protected," Turchynov said, as Crimea prepares to vote in a referendum Sunday on becoming part of Russia.
Crimea's upcoming referendum is a "sham" whose results will be fixed in Moscow, Turchynov told AFP.
"What they call the referendum will not happen in Crimea but in the offices of the Kremlin," Turchynov said ahead of Sunday's vote and hours after the pro-Russian authorities in Crimea voted for full independence from Ukraine.
Ukraine will not attempt a military move to prevent the southern Crimean peninsula’s breakaway in order not to expose its eastern border, Ukraine’s acting president Oleksandr Turchynov told AFP Tuesday in an exclusive interview.
“We cannot launch a military operation in Crimea, as we would expose the eastern border and Ukraine would not be protected,” Turchynov said, as Crimea prepares to vote in a referendum Sunday on becoming part of Russia.
Crimea’s upcoming referendum is a “sham” whose results will be fixed in Moscow, Turchynov told AFP.
“What they call the referendum will not happen in Crimea but in the offices of the Kremlin,” Turchynov said ahead of Sunday’s vote and hours after the pro-Russian authorities in Crimea voted for full independence from Ukraine.
