Zelensky: We will be returning Crimea by any means

• 

Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has stated that the country will return to "Russian-occupied Crimea" in whatever way it sees fit, without consulting with other countries, Ukrinform reported.

"We will be returning Crimea by any means because this is our territory. We will decide on our own, without consulting with any other country in the world," Zelensky said.

"We know what we are doing. We know where military facilities or warehouses are located in the temporarily occupied territories. The Ukrainian military can work there according to the plan," he added.

Commenting on whether Crimea can return to Ukraine's control politically and diplomatically or with military assistance, Zelensky stated: "We do not choose which way we will put an end to this issue."

Elsewhere in his remarks, Zelensky claimed that the situation was different last year.

US approves Ukraine strikes on Crimea - reports

Kiev was behind the explosions that have lately taken place in Crimea, including one at Saki airbase that destroyed several Russian aircraft, a Ukrainian government document obtained by CNN said on Wednesday.

Ukrainian officials are yet to publicly admit to Kiev's involvement in explosions that rocked Crimea last week. However, Defense Minister Oleski Reznikov told Voice of America on Wednesday that Ukraine still has striking territories taken over by the Russians using weapons given to Kiev by the United States.

Russia said the incident was an accident, though many are suggesting that what happened was an attack. However, the United States was quick to claim that it had not given Ukraine anything that would allow its forces to strike that far into Russian territories despite all the munition and weapons it gave Kiev.