The Minister of Veteran Affairs, Yulia Laputina, said that in 2014, Ukrainian special services and the military could liberate Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, and Luhansk at the early stage of the Anti-Terrorist Operation. Laputina stated this in an interview "Interfax-Ukraine«
"At that moment, when Hyrkin really did not have a more or less significant power reserve, and there was still time before the entry of Russian troops, right at the Kramatorsk airport, our employees developed a plan to encircle Slavyansk. After all, our military was stationed on the side of Izyum, and special operations forces were stationed on the other side of this airfield. The plan was the following: to arm and equip forces at the Kramatorsk airfield. Further, the force of the strike group from the positions of Kramatorsk and those troops who were standing on the side of Izyum will surround Slavyansk and work out the terrorists in sectors. But this plan was not accepted."
The acting minister, who herself participated in the defense of the Kramatorsk airfield, suggests that they could simply not inform the leadership at the level of the minister of defense and above about this plan.
According to her, there was an opportunity in early April 2014 to liberate Luhansk as well. Then the special services were also ready to storm the captured surrenders, but they were not given the command.
Also, the security forces offered to neutralize the organizers of the seizure of the Crimean parliament, but "the people who then took responsibility for the country in such a difficult period lacked willpower and firmness."
Let us remind you that the Ukrainian armed forces liberated Slavyansk and Kramatorsk in July 2014. Before that, since April 2014, the city was under the control of illegal armed forces.
