MOSCOW: Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s former leader and current deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, indicated on Saturday that Moscow might consider annexing additional regions of Ukraine, marking the one-year anniversary since the Kremlin claimed four Ukrainian territories as part of its own.
Russia’s former leader Dmitry Medvedev has suggested Moscow may annex more regions of Ukraine, as he marked one year since the Kremlin claimed four Ukrainian territories as its own. pic.twitter.com/kwRaiX7RN1
— Srbija Evropa (@srbija_eu) September 30, 2023
The comments came after Moscow recently held elections in the contested regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. However, Russia’s control over these areas remains incomplete, facing resistance from Ukrainian forces engaged in a counteroffensive to reclaim the territories.
Russia’s Military Offensive in Ukraine to Continue
Medvedev, a once-regarded liberal reformer, now stands as one of Moscow’s staunchest advocates for the ongoing Ukraine offensive. Speaking about the military operation, he stated, “The special military operation will continue until the complete destruction of the Nazi regime in Kyiv. Victory will be ours. And there will be more new regions within Russia.”
In his address to the nation commemorating the anniversary of the annexations, President Vladimir Putin described the events as a historical choice made by the people residing in these territories to reunite with the “Fatherland.”
The term “new regions” refers to the Ukrainian territories of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, which Moscow claimed to annex in September of the previous year. Medvedev’s statement, echoing the sentiments of the Russian government, raises concerns about the potential escalation of the conflict and its impact on regional stability.
