Russia has consistently denied Ukraine’s sovereignty and justified its aggression with propaganda about so-called “historical lands”. Viktor Medvedchuk, the godfather of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and former head of the banned OPZZh party, has explicitly called for the annexation of Ukraine. Such statements by Medvedchuk reflect the Kremlin’s strategic policy of denying Ukraine’s sovereignty, analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in a report.

The oligarch published an article calling on Russia to “return its historical lands”. He attached a map to his “opus”, where all Ukrainian territories east of Lviv, Ternopil and Chernivtsi regions are marked as part of “historical Russia”.

The traitor also said that Western support for Ukraine is aimed at destroying Russia from within. In addition, the oligarch called Ukrainians “modern barbarians” whom Russia must “save”.

“Medvedchuk’s rhetoric as a representative of the Russian elite, closely linked to Putin, demonstrates the Kremlin’s systemic unwillingness to negotiate with Ukraine and the West and its fundamental refusal to recognise the legitimacy of the Ukrainian state and government,” ISW experts said.