“Part of the information war”: how Russia reacted to Zelensky’s next statement about the “de-occupation” of Crimea

The Ukrainian authorities have not abandoned their intention to return the Crimea by force, and the alienation of the territories of the Russian Federation is out of the question, said Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the President of Russia.

This is how the Kremlin commented on the statements of Vladimir Zelensky that he is ready to consider options for the “de-occupation” of Crimea.

“From the very beginning, and the president spoke about this more than once, even before the start of the NWO, the Constitution of Ukraine stated that Crimea should be returned to Ukraine by force, by force.

And de facto Ukraine has not abandoned this, for us it is nothing more than a discussion of the topic of alienation of the territories of the Russian Federation, there can be no other understanding here, there can be no question of this, ”Peskov emphasized.

He drew attention to the fact that a number of media outlets incorrectly conveyed the essence of the above-mentioned statements of the Ukrainian president.

“Almost like the readiness of President Zelensky to deal with this topic not by military means, but by peaceful negotiations, this is an absolutely wrong interpretation,” Peskov said.

At the same time, Zelensky’s real theses speak of Kyiv’s unwillingness to use non-military methods to resolve the problem, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation emphasized.

“Such statements once again speak of the unpreparedness, unwillingness and inability of the Ukrainian side to be ready to resolve the problem by non-military methods,” Peskov stated.

"Pipe dreams"

Earlier, Volodymyr Zelensky, in an interview with the Financial Times, said that he was ready to consider options for the “de-occupation” of Crimea by non-military means, but did not accept options in which the peninsula would remain part of Russia.

“I understand that everyone is at a loss because of this situation and what will happen to Crimea.

If anyone has suggestions on how to end the occupation of Crimea in a non-military way, I will be all for it.

If the decision (does not imply. -

) the end of the occupation and (Crimea. -

) remains the territory of the Russian Federation, then there is no need to waste time on it.

This is a waste of time,” Zelensky said.

• Vladimir Zelensky

• AP

• © Andrew Kravchenko

He also said that Kyiv intends to "return all territories" by military means.

“We must return all territories ... because, in my opinion, the battlefield is the only way (to achieve the goal. -

) in the absence of diplomacy.

If it is not possible to completely return their territories, then the conflict will simply be frozen.

Its resumption will only be a matter of time,” Zelensky explained.

Such statements by the Ukrainian president caused a negative reaction in the Russian parliament.

So, State Duma deputy from the Republic of Crimea Mikhail Sheremet said that Kyiv's attempts to encroach on the peninsula would be a failure.

“All attempts by Ukrainian nationalists and militants to encroach on Crimea will turn into a collapse for them.

If Zelensky decided to play with the topic of Crimea, Russia will quickly cool his ardor, RIA Novosti quotes him as saying.

“Crimea is Russia, and this is a fait accompli that all Western countries and the Kyiv regime should cut to their noses.

Russia defends its territories, not trades them.”

In turn, a member of the Federation Council from Crimea, Sergei Tsekov, called the statements of the Ukrainian president unrealizable dreams.

“These are all empty words, his unfulfilled dreams, an absolutely unrealistic development of events.

Crimea will forever remain Russian, another option will never be acceptable for Russia... We have said many times that the transfer of Crimea by Khrushchev to the Ukrainian SSR was a huge historical injustice, which was corrected in 2014.

It’s time for Zelensky to come to terms with this, ”the senator emphasized.

"Ready to continue the conflict"

Recall that the Ukrainian president has repeatedly stated Kyiv's intention to seize the Crimean peninsula.

In particular, he mentioned this at the end of August at the summit of the so-called Crimean Platform.

“We will definitely come to our cities of Crimea, to our people in Crimea and return their freedom,” Zelensky said.

In mid-September, he also promised that Ukraine would certainly restore control over the "temporarily occupied territories."

“We must send signals to our people, who, unfortunately, are still under occupation.

And my signal to the people in Crimea: we know that these are our people, and it is a terrible tragedy that they have been in occupation for more than eight years.

We will return there.

I don't know exactly when.

But we have plans, and we will return there, because this is our land and our people, ”Zelensky’s press service quoted him as saying.

• View of Ayu-Dag mountain in Crimea

• RIA News

• © Konstantin Mikhalchevsky

As Vadim Kozyulin, head of the Center for Global Studies and International Relations at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, suggested in an interview with RT, the current Ukrainian president apparently believes that the West will be able to weaken Russia to such an extent that it will not be able to effectively defend its territories, in including the Crimean Peninsula.

“These statements stem from Washington’s general strategy of gradually weakening Russia economically, strangling its foreign trade and provoking social and political instability in the country,” the political scientist argues.

“Such statements by Zelensky today are part of the information war against Russia.

That is, it is impossible to call it a kind of "plan" of Kyiv.

Rather, it is just an "information bullet", but it hits the target, as these statements begin to be discussed.

This should not be taken very seriously, but it must be kept in mind, ”Kozyulin believes.

In turn, RISS expert Sergei Yermakov, in a conversation with RT, noted that with such attacks, Zelensky demonstrates to the Western allies his readiness to conduct military operations "to the bitter end."

“The Kyiv regime is ready to continue the conflict with the help of its allies, it acquires precisely this meaning.

The call came through a well-known British newspaper that shapes public opinion in the West.

The further fate and actions of the Kyiv regime depend on its allies - whether they will continue to supply weapons to Kyiv or whether they will offer options for resolving the conflict, ”said Yermakov.

From his point of view, Zelensky himself has already become a hostage of his militarized environment, therefore he continues to make belligerent statements.

“He simply cannot pursue another line - the negotiations were blocked by Ukraine, as she still has hope that with the help of the Americans, Europeans and NATO, she will be able to win a military victory.

This also explains Kyiv's ongoing attempts to draw third countries into the conflict directly," the expert noted.

He added that anti-Russian rhetoric of this kind has long been an instrument of foreign policy of the Kyiv regime.

“This is a tool that they use to fight against Moscow, and its use in Kyiv is taken very seriously.

Such statements are edited and coordinated specifically to keep tension.

This is a certain work within the framework of psychological operations, ”Ermakov concluded.