Putin did not predict that Ukraine’s main force is its people, - Oleksandr Turchynov

Putin calculated everything but did not predict that Ukraine's main force is not money or power, the main force is the Ukrainian people. This was stated by Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov in an interview with "Censor.NET" Internet media.

Mr. Turchynov elaborated on the stormy events of the winter of 2014.

"Putin did not think that the Ukrainian people could self-organize so quickly. He did not think that given those conditions - 100 thousand hryvnias on the account, total demoralization of the law enforcement agencies, - we would manage to restore the power structure so quickly. That is, in Russia, they were convinced that the whole power vertical had been appointed by Yanukovych, and it would be impossible to change it in a day. Even in a month, it was impossible", - Mr. Turchynov said. "You may recall how the militia supported the separatists in the East", - he noticed explaining that the Kremlin was expecting chaos as a result of separatists' protests and mass riots. "They expected internal conflicts to unleash, separatists to seize power in many regions, and that Putin would be able to enter Kyiv applauded, bringing puppet Yanukovych in a baggage train", - he pointed out.

"They thought, another week or two would pass and everything would collapse. They waited, prepared and miscalculated. The Crimea became a trap for them, which gave us time to win, restore power and the security block, prepare for their military aggression. The failure of their offensive in the Donbass has testified to this", - the NSDC Secretary added.

Summing up, Mr. Turchynov stressed that "the situation was incredibly dangerous, but Ukraine stood up, they could not repeat the tragedy of occupation of Ukraine as a century ago".

"Hardly anyone feels even today how close we were to the edge of disaster. And those who stood strong on the Maidan, those who stood up in the Crimea and did not betray their homeland, those who volunteered to defend the country, those volunteers who helped with everything they could, - they all saved Ukraine. Putin calculated everything, but did not predict that Ukraine's main force is not money or power, the main force is the Ukrainian people", - the NSDC Secretary stated.