Russia continues to deny Ukraine’s sovereignty, calls for further annexation – ISW

Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War note that Russia consistently denies Ukraine's sovereignty and justifies its aggression with propaganda about so-called "historic lands."  Viktor Medvedchuk, a close personal ally of Putin, father of Putin's goddaughter, and the former head of the banned party "OPZhZh," directly called for the annexation of Ukraine.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported this.

Viktor Medvedchuk published an article in which he called on Russia to "return its historical lands."

The material was attached to a map that marks all Ukrainian territories east of the Lviv, Ternopil, and Chernivtsi regions as part of "historical Russia."

The former head of the banned party, "OPZhZh," insists that modern Ukraine has no historical legitimacy and its independence is a "historic mistake" that must be corrected through the integration of these lands into the Russian Federation.

He also stated that Western support for Ukraine is aimed at destroying the Russian Federation from within and called Ukrainians "modern barbarians" whom, according to him, Russia must "save."

Experts from the Institute for the Study of War emphasize that such statements by Medvedchuk are a reflection of the Kremlin's strategic policy of denying Ukraine's sovereignty.

"Medvedchuk's rhetoric as a member of the Russian elite with extensive ties to Putin is representative of the Kremlin's systemic refusal to act in good faith regarding negotiations with Ukraine and the West and the Kremlin's core unwillingness to negotiate with Ukraine – a state and government it considers illegitimate," the ISW report says.

Key ISW findings for February 5

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to demonstrate his willingness to negotiate with Russia from a principled position that preserves Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the long run.
• Zelensky reiterated that the Ukrainian Constitution bans elections during wartime, but Ukraine remains committed to holding elections by its constitution and laws after the war ends.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on February 4 that Russian forces have suffered roughly 300,000 to 350,000 killed in action (KIA) and approximately 600,000 to 700,000 wounded in action (WIA) since the February 2022 start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
• Ukrainian forces struck against an oil depot in Krasnodar Krai on the night of February 4 to 5 as a part of an ongoing strike campaign against Russian defense industrial enterprises and oil refineries.
• The Russian military continues efforts to restructure its peacetime administrative control over military services and is disaggregating administrative control for Russia's Air Force and Navy from its military districts.
• The Kremlin prioritizes domestic political stability over efforts to mitigate economic pressure and labor shortages.
• Ukraine and Russia conducted a one-for-one prisoner-of-war (POW) exchange on February 5.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Kupiansk, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Kurakhove.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Pokrovsk.

It should be noted that on April 12, 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that a special operation had been conducted to detain Viktor Medvedchuk, a member of the People's Deputy from the banned Opposition Platform – For Life party and a father of Putin's goddaughter.

Subsequently, 200 Ukrainian service members were exchanged for Viktor Medvedchuk, who "has already given all possible testimony to the investigation."

The Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of the Kyiv Region Bar Association deprived Viktor Medvedchuk, a former member of the People's Deputy from the Opposition Platform – For Life party, of the right to practice law.

Medvedchuk was previously notified of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 111 (high treason), Part 1 of Article 258-3 (assisting a terrorist organization), and Part 1 of Article 438 (plunder of national values) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.