President of Donetsk Al Jazeera Net: We have no illusions to resolve the conflict with Ukraine peacefully

President of the Republic of Donetsk Denis Pushilin: Kiev authorities do not have an independent decision (Photo from the presidency in Donetsk)

MOSCOW – The President of the Republic of Donetsk, Denis Pushilin, stressed that Russia will continue its "special military operation" in Ukraine and that they have no illusions about the possibility of resolving the conflict politically.

Pushilin added in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera Net, that what he described as the experience of dealing with the Ukrainian side revealed "the inability of the official authorities in Kiev to make agreements, and lack of an independent decision, and their absolute dependence on Western countries."

He also stressed that Russia has always been open to constructive dialogue with Ukraine, but the authorities there prefer their personal interests over the interests of the state and citizens, as he put it.

The full text of the interview follows:

• How do you assess the current situation in the Republic of Donetsk, and what are your expectations for the future of Russia's special military operation this year? Will it continue, or is there still hope for a political solution?

The situation remains difficult, as the Ukrainian side daily fires indiscriminately high-caliber weapons into residential neighborhoods. Civilians, including women, the elderly and children, are suffering, and more and more destruction and damage to civilian infrastructure are being recorded. This applies to both frontline and back-line areas and cities as well.

The enemy cynically and deliberately attacks workers in public utility companies and the medical field, who go out to help those wounded as a result of the bombing. This is a violation of all international legal norms of war.

For example, in the city of Gorlovka, electricians carrying out maintenance work were recently shot, killing an electrical engineer and wounding 3 men.

Emergency medical personnel arriving to evacuate the wounded were also subjected to an additional attack, dropping a drone missile accurately on the ambulance, killing the paramedic and injuring 3 team members. The enemy knew that he was targeting them. This is limitless cruelty.

However, the special military operation continues. Our President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that all the objectives of the special operation will be achieved, and that the complete liberation of the Donetsk Republic within its administrative borders is one of the main tasks.

We need to carry out a process of complete demilitarization of Ukraine and the elimination of Nazi tendencies in it, because these two conditions can guarantee security for the population of Russia.

As for the possibility of resolving the conflict politically, we have no illusions in this regard. We have dealt with the Ukrainian side for many years, and we know, more than anyone else, that Kiev is completely unable to make agreements, that it does not have an independent decision and that it is absolutely dependent, including financially, on Western countries.

Political decision requires political will, and this is not currently available in Ukraine.

Donetsk is one of the two parts of the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine (island)

• In general, is a political solution possible under the current government in Kiev or does it require a change of government?

Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree in 2022 stating the impossibility of negotiations with the Russian president. Recently he publicly called Russians "human scum", isn't that a manifestation of neo-Nazism? Such an attack by the Ukrainian president is in no way conducive to diplomacy.

Russia has always been open to constructive dialogue, but it is unfortunate that the Ukrainian authorities prefer their personal interests over those of the state and its citizens.

Does Ukraine benefit from complete regime change and the arrival to power of a sufficient number of independent leaders who meet the basic needs of society? May be. But this is why the country needs its own independent entity, and this is very difficult under the current circumstances of a complete lack of independence.

• Do you think the United States is preoccupied with the conflict in the Gaza Strip, given the possibility of expanding its geographical borders, which would lead to a decline in Western support for Ukraine?

The conflict in the Gaza Strip has already led to a reorientation of the media and a reduction in financial aid. But one should not be under the illusion that as the US turns its attention to Israel, the situation with regard to Kiev's supply of weapons or financial resources will stop.

The West will influence the situation and will try with all its might to prolong the conflict. Thus, the funds needed to finance the war against Russia, which has been ignited and supported for a long time, will be sought by any means.

We are already seeing that the supply burden of Ukraine is increasingly shifting to Europe. This is despite the fact that EU residents are increasingly protesting budget spending for Ukraine and ignoring their problems altogether. After all, the military campaign in Ukraine is financed mainly from the pockets of simple Europeans.

A striking example is the strike of transport workers and farmers in Germany. The country's entire transport system is paralyzed, but the German chancellor prefers not to resolve domestic issues, but rather to call on other EU countries to increase spending on aid to Ukraine, similar to what Germany is doing.

It is not difficult to guess what such domestic policies might lead to, as the longer the funding for Ukraine lasts, the harder it will be for Europeans to live.

• In your view, what are the reasons for the failure of the Ukrainian "counteroffensive" and what are its consequences for the subsequent course of military operations?

Regardless of the type of weapons, including those that are more powerful, the outcome of a war is determined by how the command behaves with its soldiers: efficiently or carefully, whether it protects personnel, or does not take into account losses.

According to the recent statement of Lutsenko (former Ukrainian interior minister), Ukraine lost 500,<> people during the special military operation.

Everyone has heard of the multiple "fleshy" attacks by the Ukrainian government and leadership by throwing soldiers on different axes: Artemovsk, Solidar, Marinka, Avdevka, etc.

The Ukrainian prisoners who voluntarily surrendered to our soldiers testify to the brutal treatment of them by their commanders. The countless waves of public mobilization, when men are caught in the streets for carrying weapons, are one testament to this.

It is not difficult to calculate the consequences of failure; an army with low morale is unable to fight even with Western missiles.

Motivating fighters is very important. Ukrainian troops are fighting for the interests of others, not for the homeland and the people. The Russian army fights for the people and against the oppression of Russians and their rights to the mother tongue and the practice of its traditions and values. Inner conviction, a sense of rightness, and an understanding of where justice stands is the most important element for achieving results on the front.

In addition, the decisive role is played by the professional actions of our command, the Russian forces, which have the largest set of knowledge and skills and are in fact the world's leading army in terms of training and combat experience.

• Ukraine began to intensify bombardment of various areas of the Donbass, including Donetsk. It has recently affected the city of Belgorod and other regions of Russia. What steps have been taken or should be taken to prevent or limit the recurrence of such attacks?

I have repeatedly said that it is possible to limit or stop the bombing of Russian territory by Ukrainian terrorists altogether in only one way: to push the enemy away from our borders so that access to our populated areas with any long-range weapon disappears.

Of course, Russian forces conduct in-depth reconnaissance of enemy terrain to determine firing points and movements of military equipment, air defense is actively working, anti-battery warfare, and much more. But only the maximum distance of the enemy can completely correct the situation by bombing our territory.

In this regard, I cannot fail to mention the heroism of the inhabitants of Donbass. Despite the constant bombardment of the enemy, my compatriots are working, and have not left their home areas. This steadfastness and confidence in defending our military is also a great support for frontline fighters, and in such unity lies Russia's strength.

Source : Al Jazeera