“I am here because there is no other person's freedom. As long as at least one Russian is not free, none of us can be free: neither Russians, nor Ukrainians, nor any other person. We are here to make Russia free. I represent not the most popular point of view in Ukraine regarding cooperation with the Russian opposition, and in general [I am in favor of] talking with Russia. War is a severe trauma, many people do not want to hear anything Russian, unfortunately, in addition, there are a lot of politicians who are trying to exploit this topic mercilessly and are trying to earn political points on this cheap populism in the next elections, which we will definitely have. I consider this point of view deeply vicious and publicly oppose it. If we turn to simple numbers, then more than 10 million citizens of Ukraine have relatives in Russia. We have 800 years of common history and, I suspect, 8 thousand years ahead, because there are no ways to move Ukraine away from Russia somewhere far away. We only have a land border of 2.5 thousand kilometers.
“I stand for talks with Russia”
Relations, of course, will continue anyway, despite all the severity, and I know firsthand about this severity, because I fought for almost three years. I was one of the first who came to Bucha when there was no one else there, I saw [everything] with my own eyes. Can you imagine the amount of information that I have? This “adds optimism and love”, but despite this, we must think soberly and strategically, because today's time more than ever requires not politicians or even statesmen, but historical figures from both sides who are able to think strategically. This means terms of 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 years. I am categorically in favor of communication and cooperation between Ukrainians and the Russian opposition, for [our] closest relations. We have a common task – the freedom of Ukraine and Russia, we are fighting for our and your freedom.
The key to Russia's freedom, in my opinion, is the military defeat of the Putin regime. Attention! Not the defeat of the Putin regime – defeat is not enough, strong medicine is needed here – but the defeat of the Putin regime. Why? Because China's reforms at one time began with the fact that China lost the Sino-Vietnamese war of 1979, however, the Chinese leadership was smarter and six weeks were enough for them to understand that "there would be no kin", and Deng Xiaoping began broad reforms. Putin, apparently, needs a stronger medicine, so I cannot give you advice, I do not consider myself entitled, but I can turn to you with a request.
1. Support for Ukraine
Request No. 1 is to strengthen military and economic support for Ukraine in every possible way, to demand this support, because this is the key to the freedom of Russia. The key to the freedom of every Russian is the military defeat of the Putin regime, which only the defense forces of Ukraine can provide, and they provide [it].
The entire NATO military industry produces 300,000 155 mm caliber shells a year. Russian troops fire that many shells at us in five days, and NATO doesn't give us all of its shells. The remaining 360 days of the year, our infantry sits in the trenches for 15 hours in the rain of shells. You have no idea what it is. You don't have sense experience. I have a small, but I can say that this pleasure is below average and this pleasure lasts for the seventeenth month.
“The key to the freedom of every Russian is the military defeat of the Putin regime”
Second. We are slowly forming a coalition of F-16 aircraft. Perhaps they will take part in the second counteroffensive in the autumn, but the first one that will take place now will be shed tons of blood of our infantry, because we were not given aircraft in a timely manner. And every plane not given [on time] means hundreds and thousands of dead and wounded Ukrainian soldiers, children, and so on. Yesterday in Ukraine there was a day of remembrance for children who died during Russian aggression – only the officially established number [of victims] is 500 children. How many of them are there in Mariupol and other places?
In Izyum, in a grave that was found (and there [there are] two more unopened), out of 468 bodies, only 8 are adult men. All the rest are children with their hands tied and so on. This blood is the price we pay for the lack of weapons and military equipment from the West, for the length of political decision making. We need blood from the nose weapons and military equipment, and this is necessary not only for Ukraine, but also for Russia and the Russians for your freedom.
2. Strengthening sanctions
Next are the sanctions. I have something to do with people who deal with sanctions from Ukraine. I did it in the president’s office and now I’m doing it, and I can say that in every rocket, in every bomb, in every Shahed that flies on our heads, and in Kiev only this month [fired] 80 missiles and 196 "Shaheds" and other types of drones – there are parts that are produced in the West. Each without exception. For some items, deliveries not only did not fall, but they even increased. Moreover, there are positions for which they have increased by 438% since the beginning of the war. There are positions that are directly related to the production of weapons and equipment, and their supplies are growing. And if I name private firms from states that supply us with weapons, you will be horrified, because here we are moving into the evidentiary area, and I can’t give numbers here, because this is classified information, but I can tell you that among the friends of Ukraine , which give us everything, there are private firms that continue to supply parts for Russian military equipment. Someone directly, someone delivers through fifth hands.
“In every rocket and bomb that fly at our heads, there are parts that are made in the West. Without exception"
Therefore, one more request – demand stronger sanctions, especially secondary sanctions, the opening of all schemes. End user, of course, turns out to be the fifth [in the supply chain] – and this is sold by an American company to Taiwan, Taiwan to Hong Kong, Hong Kong somewhere else and only then to the Russian Federation, but, nevertheless, it all flies on our heads and this everything puts off the time of free Russia. It is necessary to demand strengthening of sanctions related directly to the supply of arms and military equipment or dual-use goods.
In addition, general sanctions, for example, the export of polished and rough diamonds from Russia, so far this is not one of the export and currency-forming industries, but so far only the US and the UK have imposed partial sanctions on Russian diamonds, but they bypass these sanctions, there are ways to do this. There are proposals from our side, [expressed] at the President's meeting three days ago. The circumvention of sanctions is a huge and big topic, it should not be let go of attention for a second. And, of course, oil, because it is the main budget-forming industry. And as long as there is money for the war, Putin will kill Russians, mobilize and leave [mobilized] to their own devices. And there will be no split of the elite.
3. Reconciliation of the opposition
The third request will sound sharp, but please make up with each other. I talk a lot with representatives of the Russian opposition and in the second sentence [everyone] starts complaining about other representatives of the Russian opposition. There is practically nothing else to talk about. What is the problem? The fact is that for most of those with whom I speak, these are subliminal things. You don't notice that this is a different type of culture – dominance and control. When you communicate with each other, I notice that you always want to win, to be right, to control the conversation and communication.
The open democratic Russia that we are building must be based on other principles – communication and cooperation are the basic principles of humanity. This principle was formulated in the French Parliament back in the 18th century and it sounded like this: “I strongly disagree with you, but I am ready to give my life for your right to speak out on this topic to my face.” This is the basic principle of parliamentarism. An open society means being able to work with someone who hates you, who you share a bad past with, who you dislike, and who you strongly disagree with. But if you have a common goal, for example, an open democratic Russia, this is reason enough to work with each other.
You will sit in the future Russian parliament with people whom you do not like very much. Together you will pass new laws that will return Russia to the civilized world community, return it to the system of the world division of labor. You will not love each other very much, but at the same time it is necessary to vote together and work for the good of the fatherland. It seems to me that now, when we are not yet in the future Russian parliament, it is a very good time to practice. This is a request, I cannot advise you.
4. Support for Russia's armed opposition
One more request, the fourth, please support the Russian armed opposition, which is now fighting in the Belgorod region and liberate it. I mean the Legion "Freedom of Russia", the RDK and everyone who joined them. I know that this is not a very popular idea, many of them are considered fascists and adventurers, but I will say that only adventurers can perform such tasks, because the soldiers of Ukraine, of course, are all heroes without exception, but you can imagine what it is Russian soldier of the armed opposition – you framed all your relatives, you framed yourself forever, you are an outlaw in your own country. They take much bigger risks, and they fight. It is clear that under such conditions, mainly adventurers, people of various polar views, are drawn, but nevertheless, these are Russian citizens who shed blood for the freedom of Russia, they die for the freedom of Russia. We are talking to you, and they are dying for the freedom of Russia.
I cannot advise you, I cannot even ask you to unite with them, but I can at least speak out in favor of this decision, at least a declaration of this support. At least do not persecute them, do not criticize, but support them. Why? Because you may not see it from the outside, but I'll tell you what it looks like. The fact is that when a reasonable sober security official in modern Russia or a reasonable sober or conscious oligarch is looking for an alternative – where should he look for it? There is no alternative. And now look: on the one hand, we have a political opposition in Europe and we have an armed Russian opposition. In fact, political representation plus power representation – these people have insignia, they wear a single uniform, they meet all the requirements of international law on war. These are signs of the state and alternative political representation with its own military system.
“When you communicate with each other, I notice that you always want to win, to be right”
The significance of the military raid in the Belgorod region is operational-tactical, but it has a huge political and ideological significance, because from the moment they first entered into battle with Putin's troops, we can no longer call Putin's troops the troops of the Russian Federation. The Russian Federation has a second army – the Legion "Freedom of Russia". This is a new, different army. When, after their first raids, Putin's troops began to use the TOS-1A heavy flamethrower system on Russian villages and citizens, they began to throw free-falling bombs, the RDK and Svoboda Rossii immediately went out so as not to frame their citizens. Not a single Russian citizen has been killed by the actions of the RDK and Freedom of Russia, they pity their citizens. They cover them, unlike Putin's troops, who destroy them. There is no longer a single Russian army, there is a second Russian army that fights on other principles. This is the basis for returning to the civilized family of peoples.
“A new Russia will grow out of repentance”
And one more note. A new future needs a new past. This is a simple psychological thought. A person cannot build a new future and a new image of himself if he does not have a new past. It is necessary to give a new past to the current Russians, who are deceived, who have been exposed to Putin's propaganda for a long time. But when they wake up and when the towers stop working, you will need to turn to them and it is very important for them to say: “They spoke to you, they warned you, they told you the truth.” From this seed will grow repentance: "We were warned, but we did not listen."
A new Russia will grow out of repentance. It's not about her getting on her knees and repenting. I don't want it and I don't want it. So people are given a psychological chance to be reborn, to all those who still believe in Putin, support Putin or hesitate. The most common position in Russia now, and we conduct closed opinion polls ourselves, is: “Of course, Putin is a goat, of course, the war should not have been started, but Russia cannot afford to lose, since we have already begun.” This is a very dangerous point of view, and more and more people are taking it. It must be clearly stated that it is not Russia that is losing, but the Putin regime is losing. Defeating the Putin regime, not Russia, is the goal.
“Destroying the Putin regime, not Russia, is the goal”
We have several [hot] lines in the General Staff in the Ministry of Defense, calling on Russian soldiers [with the offer] to come over to our side and survive. They are offered not just an appeal in accordance with the Geneva Convention, but they are offered to enter the Legion "Freedom of Russia", they are returned their weapons. These armed formations and the new Russian army are former prisoners who fought against us in the troops of the Putin regime and committed all these crimes, shot at our civilians. And now their personal fate shows that Russian soldiers, and my grandfather is a Russian soldier, a hero who went through the whole war, a scout, these people in the new system, inspired by a new political idea and a new political culture, are able to return here.
In March [2022] they killed us, and today they are fighting for us and for the freedom of Russia. It is possible to give people a chance. We must recognize them, we must find a form that is convenient for you, and extend a helping hand to them. In the end, to develop this new political culture among them and, in my opinion, the development of this new political culture is now the number one task, as well as sanctions and everything that I told you today.”