Ukraine is ‘Russia’

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council and an ally of President Vladimir Putin, described Ukraine yesterday as part of Russia and said what he called historical parts of Russia needed to "come home."

In a bellicose presentation that suggested Russia's military goals in Ukraine are far-reaching, Medvedev, who was Russia's president from 2008-2012, praised the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union and said Moscow would prosecute its "special military operation" until the Ukrainian leadership capitulated.

"One of Ukraine's former leaders said at some point that Ukraine is not Russia," Medvedev, a hawk who diplomats say gives a flavour of the thinking inside the Kremlin, told a youth forum in the Black Sea city of Sochi, reports Reuters.

"That concept needs to disappear forever. Ukraine is definitely Russia," he said to applause. "Historic parts of the country need to come home."

Meanwhile, more than 40 countries yesterday demanded an independent international investigation into the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny -- and said President Vladimir Putin bore ultimate responsibility, reports AFP.

European Union members, the United States, Britain, Ukraine, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway were among countries to voice outrage over Navalny's death at the UN Human Rights Council.

About Medvedev comment, there was no immediate reaction from Kyiv. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly accused Medvedev and other top Russian officials of waging an illegal war of conquest and said Ukraine and its people are distinct from Russia and Russians.

Medvedev was speaking in front of a giant map of Ukraine showing the country as a much smaller landlocked rump of land than its internationally recognised territory.

Medvedev, who the West once saw as a liberal reformer, said Russia's "geostrategic space" was indivisible from Ukraine and that any attempt to change that by force was doomed.

"All our adversaries need to understand once and for all a simple fact: that the territories on both banks of the Dnipro River (which bisects Ukraine) are an integral part of Russia's strategic and historical borders," he said.

Medvedev ruled out peace talks with the current Ukrainian leadership. He said any future Ukrainian government that wanted talks would need to recognise what he called the new reality.

Commenting on East-West relations, Medvedev said ties between Moscow and Washington were now worse than during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis when the two countries appeared on the brink of nuclear conflict.

"I will say one bitter thing," he said. "The current situation is much worse than the one in 1962. This is a fully-fledged war against Russia with American weapons and with the participation of American special forces and American advisers. That's how it is."

Elsewhere, EU ambassador Lotte Knudsen told the UN rights body on behalf of 43 countries "we are outraged by the death of the Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, for which the ultimate responsibility lies with President Putin and the Russian authorities," EU ambassador Lotte Knudsen told the UN rights body on behalf of 43 countries.

"Russia must allow an independent and transparent international investigation into circumstances of his sudden death.

"Mr Navalny's unexpected and shocking death is yet another sign of the accelerating and systematic repression in Russia."

The countries said they were deeply concerned about the "systematic crackdown on civil society" and the repression of political opposition within Russia and abroad.

They urged Russia to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners, human rights defenders, journalists and anti-war activists detained for peacefully exercising their human rights and for opposing Russia's war in Ukraine.

"We call on the Russian Federation to end this climate of impunity and create a safe environment for political opposition and critical voices," the statement said.

They also urged Russia to "abolish its oppressive legislation and end political misuse of the judiciary".

"Russia's political leadership and authorities must be held to account," said Knudsen.

"Navalny's courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment to the cause of justice, freedom and democracy will never be forgotten."

The death of Putin's staunchest opponent was announced on February 16 as the Kremlin leader campaigned to secure a new six-year term in an election in mid-March where he will face no real competition.