Turchynov: 2017 to be decisive year in occupied territories liberation

National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov believes that 2017 will be a decisive year in liberation of the occupied territories.

NSDC secretary told a briefing on Tuesday, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrainski Novyny.

"I am convinced that 2017 will be a decisive year in this regard (the liberation of the territories)," he said.

The NSDC secretary said that 2016 was the first year of the war when Ukraine did not lost its land, repulsed all militants' attacks and started retaking its territory.

"We see that Russia and the Russian terrorist troops it controls are going to observe no agreements. They continue making efforts to destabilize the situation," UNIAN quoted Turchynov as saying.

"However, there is one very important thing about the expiring year that I would like to draw attention to. This was the first year of the war when Ukraine did not lose a single inch of its land. All attempts to advance, to launch offensive in westerly direction, all attempts to break through our defenses in 2016 were doomed. Moreover, the enemy suffered heavy losses while the Armed Forces of Ukraine have improved their positions," he said.

Turchynov noted in this regard that Ukraine started retaking the occupied territory inch by inch.