Zelenskyy identifies 2014 Crimea occupation as the start of the war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in a podcast with entrepreneur Steven Bartlett that the current full-scale war might have been avoided if there had been a clear order to defend Crimea during its occupation in 2014.

Zelenskyy noted that the war effectively began when Russian forces seized the peninsula, though the occupation was initially slow and lacked the characteristics of an active war. He highlighted that the presence of armed individuals, often referred to as ‘little green men’ due to their unmarked uniforms, created a situation where the Ukrainian government failed to issue clear instructions to protect its territory and borders.

The occupation, which began around February 20, 2014, involved armed personnel and vehicles without registration markings, violating Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.