Kremlin claims USSR still exists — Ukraine responds sharply
Russian President Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
An adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the Soviet Union (USSR) allegedly still exists from a legal standpoint, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi and Head of the Center for Countering Disinformation Andriy Kovalenko.
According to Russian media, Putin's adviser Anton Kobyakov has begun promoting the narrative that the Soviet Union still exists — and therefore, the invasion of Ukraine is merely an internal conflict.
Kobyakov claimed that the Soviet Union allegedly "still exists from a legal standpoint."
"The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 was one of the most hopeful moments at the end of the 20th century. The Soviet Union fell — thankfully, and forever," said a spokesperson for Ukraine's Foreign Ministry.
Heorhii Tykhyi noted that instead of indulging in "absurd legal fantasies," those nostalgic for the Soviet past should try to recall what brand of toilet paper their families used during the USSR.
"They won't be able to answer — because there was none. Enough with the foolish Soviet nostalgia," he added.
Meanwhile, Andriy Kovalenko recalled that Vladimir Putin first voiced the idea of a "unified country" consisting of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine back in 2001, during a meeting in Vitebsk with Belarusian self-proclaimed leader Alexander Lukashenko and then-President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma.
"Ukraine immediately refused to support even the idea. Then came more attempts. From 2010 to 2014, Russia aggressively tried to realize that vision through politics, sports, marketing, and culture. Thankfully, it failed — because we didn't allow it," said the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation.
Putin speaks of a buffer zone
On May 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the Russian army had begun implementing a plan to create a so-called security buffer zone near the border with Ukraine.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry immediately responded. Speaking to journalists, the Ministry's spokesperson emphasized that the Russian President's statements about establishing a buffer zone are clear evidence of ongoing Russian aggression.
More details on what exactly the President said — and how Ukraine is reacting — can be found in the report by RBC-Ukraine.
