Russia's former president claims Russia will take Kyiv, and that the conquest of Odesa has "long been desired" in Russia

Iryna Balachuk — Thursday, 22 February 2024, 09:54

Dmitry Medvedev. Photo: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency RIA Novosti

Dmitry Medvedev, former President of the Russian Federation and Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, has claimed that in order to "achieve the goals of the special military operation (the Russian propaganda euphemism for the war against Ukraine)", Russian forces will have to march on Kyiv again, "if not now, then at some point", and that Russia has "long desired the city of Odesa".

Source: Medvedev in an interview with Russian media

Quote from Medvedev: "Where should we stop? I don't know. I guess, given what I said, we still have to work hard and focus. Will it be Kyiv? Yes, it should probably be Kyiv. If not now, then at some point; perhaps in some other phase of this conflict (war – ed.)."

Details: Medvedev claimed that there are two reasons for this. The first is that Kyiv is supposedly a "Russian city", and the second is that it allegedly "poses an international threat to the existence of the Russian Federation", as Kyiv is supposedly "run by an international brigade of Russia's opponents led by the United States of America".

"So yes, it may be Kyiv," Medvedev speculated.

Details: He also added that "Odesa has long been desired in the Russian Federation".

Quote from Medvedev: "Odesa, come back home. We have long desired Odesa in the Russian Federation. Even by virtue of the history of this city, the kind of people who live there, the language they speak, it is our Russian city."

Background:

In mid-January, Medvedev stressed that Russia would always be at war with Ukraine and that a reason for an invasion would be found in 10 or 50 years.
On 12 January, during UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's visit to Kyiv, Medvedev threatened to declare war on the United Kingdom.
In December 2023, Medvedev noted that the threat of Russia clashing with NATO and the outbreak of World War III had "never been so real". Earlier, he had threatened to strike factories in Germany.

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