BEIJING, September 28. /TASS/. The Western countries’ support will not allow the leadership of Ukraine to retake the regions whose residents in the just-held referendums expressed their wish to become part of Russia, China's strategic arms expert Song Zhongping believes.
"Current Western support, including weapon supplies and offering intelligence sharing and military advisors, to Ukraine is not enough for Kiev to take the four regions back," the Chinese daily Global Times quotes Song as saying.
He believes that "via the referenda, Russia is trying to secure what it has already gained from the seven-month conflict."
Song recalled that part of the territories that had declared their intention to join Russia still remained under the Ukrainian army’s control.
"Russia regards these regions as its own, Russian troops will continue their offensive in these regions until they completely occupy them," Song said, noting that "this means the conflict will definitely continue."
He stressed that "Moscow fully understands that it cannot lose the fight."
Russia is setting a new starting point for the next stage of its operation, he pointed out, so "the West needs to consider whether to become more directly involved or not."
On September 27-23, the DPR, the LPR and also the Kherson Region and the liberated territories of the Zaporozhye Region held referendums on joining Russia in the capacity of the federation’s constituent territories. In all of the mentioned regions an overwhelming majority voted for accession to Russia.