DONETSK, February 26. /TASS/. Russian forces will be forced to push Ukrainian military away further from the borders due to supplies of long-range systems to Kiev, Acting Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Denis Pushilin said in an interview with TASS.

"The more long-range western systems will be delivered to Ukraine, the more we will be forced to push the threat away from our borders. Consequently, it [special military operation] will take more time," he said.

It is thus unreasonable to speak about any date of the end of the special military operation, Pushilin added.

Kiev regularly asks Western countries to supply the longest-range weapons. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said at the Munich Security Conference earlier that the UK would become the first country to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons. He also admitted that Kiev could use them to oust Russian forces out of the territories lost by Ukraine, including Crimea.