Ukraine fights to liberate all its territory, defence minister says

OSLO (Reuters) – Ukraine is fighting to liberate all territory captured by Russia in the last decade, and any claim that the country is shifting its focus in the war to prioritise security over land is false, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said on Friday.

“Territorial integrity is part of our values,” the Ukrainian minister told a joint press conference with his Norwegian counterpart in Oslo.

When asked about reports that Ukraine is shifting its focus in the war, Umerov said this was false and part of Russian propaganda efforts.

“Our priority is still to protect people, protect the nation, to liberate people from almost 10 years of temporary occupation, so Crimea and Donbas (are) part of Ukraine,” he said.

People living in territories held by Russia are all waiting to be liberated, he added.

(Reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Stine Jacobsen)