‘Goal is destruction of Ukraine’: ex-defence minister warns west of Putin’s aim
Oleksii Reznikov urges unity against Russia ‘to save this world from catastrophe of world war three’
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/08/goal-destruction-ukraine-ex-defence-minister-warns-west-putin-aim
Ukraine’s former defence minister has warned his western counterparts that negotiations with Moscow will not bring peace, and that Vladimir Putin remains determined to destroy Ukraine entirely and to “assimilate” its citizens into the Russian Federation.
In an article for the Guardian, Oleksii Reznikov says any “deal” with the Kremlin would not end the conflict. “Russia demands the recognition of the occupied territories of Ukraine as its territory in exchange for the end of the war,” he writes.
“However, this is obviously for the sake of one thing only – to buy some time, regroup and ‘finally solve the Ukrainian issue’ using new resources. Russia does not recognise the existence of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.
“Its goal is the destruction of Ukrainian statehood and assimilation of Ukrainians.”
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