putin needs escalation, he needs to blackmail whole world with nuclear weapons, because he’s losing.
This was emphasized by the head of the National Interests Advocacy Network “ANTS”, Hanna Hopko.
“But he understands that this is his last fight. But otherwise he will be killed in russia or his reputation and his image is already destroyed by bravery of Ukrainian Arm Forces. So this idea what we have seen in 2014 with illegale annexation of Crimea it also happened what with this “referendums”. And now he need illegal ground for using heavy weapon against us. But we need to see from the West tougher sanctions. So I think in the long-turn prospective, Ukraine has history mission to defeat and fight against totalitarianism,” – said Hanna Hopko.
The leader of the “ANTS” emphasizes that Russia is trying to justify the annexation of Ukrainian territories with fake referendums.
“It’s actually a fake show, it’s not even pseudo referendum. I could never call it fake referendum, using the world “referendum” because actually that is the way how kremlin is trying justify the annexation of Ukrainian territory and what we have seen in the newly liberated by Ukrainian Arm Forces – Izuym and others towns, villages and cities, executions of innocent civilians. Its genocide, – Hanna Hopko noticed. – That we have seen after February 24 in Kherson region when putin expected that Russian-speaking Ukrainians will support the occupation, but in reality people for many months were protecting, many of them were killed. they don’t want to be a part of «russian peace», because Russians, they are imperialist, they don’t care about human lives and about voting rights”.
She emphasized that today Ukraine needs even more weapons.
“Weapons we received, unfortunately, are not enough. Even with limited number of weapon we manage successfully liberating of our territories. I just came back from Washington DC, where we demanded more HIMARS, more weapons. And I think this is in interest of all western civilisations. Ukraine is winning! And I do believe that everyone in this world wants to see that Ukraine win over russian aggression and preventing new wars from other authoritarian regimes!”
Hanna Hopko highlighted that defeat of communism, not just a colonialism.
“After soviet union collapsed, russia started its aggression against Moldova, Chechnya. Remember what they did with Chechens people? That’s genocide. Then Georgia in 2008, then Ukraine – in 2014. So I think it’s the Ukraine’s historical mission – to stop and to defeat russian imperialism. This is not just about changing regime. Because I’m sure with changing putin, that russian imperialistic nature of statehood will not change. We also need to work with russian civil societ. Because russians support putin’s regime. They never protected, when russian Arm Forces are killing and rapping kids in Bucha, Mariupol, Izuym. They are now fleeing country because they don’t want to be killed. So what do I think?.. With more weapons, tougher sanctions and global consolidation we will defeat russian imperialism”.
