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1h ago

Putin Declares All of Ukraine Is Ours and Does Not Rule Out Seizing Sumy

At the St Petersburg forum, he rejected Ukrainian sovereignty in favor of border buffer zones, prompting Kyiv’s denunciation of Russia’s disdain for peace efforts

Russia's President Vladimir Putin reiterated his long-held belief that Russians and Ukrainians are one people.
Putin told the St Petersburg International Economic Forum he considered Russians and Ukrainians to be one people and 'in that sense the whole of Ukraine is ours.'
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Overview

  • Putin proclaimed Russians and Ukrainians to be “one people” and asserted that “the whole of Ukraine is ours,” rejecting the 1991 foundations of Ukrainian independence.
  • He insisted Russia is not seeking Ukraine’s surrender but demands Kyiv acknowledge the “realities on the ground,” referring to Moscow’s control of about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
  • Putin said he does not rule out capturing Sumy to establish a protective zone along the border, citing ongoing shelling of Russian regions.
  • He warned that any Ukrainian use of a “dirty bomb” against Russian forces would trigger a harsh nuclear response with potentially catastrophic consequences.
  • Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha condemned the remarks as evidence of Russian contempt for US-led peace efforts and a renewed push for territorial expansion.