Putin: Russia will seek Ukraine’s "denazification", but through diplomacy
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin claims he intends to occupy all of Donbas by military means, while seeking to achieve other aggressive goals, including the "denazification" of Ukraine, through negotiations.
He said this during SPIEF 2026, according to Russian propaganda media, Censor.NET reports.
Fakes about Donbas and justifying "denazification."
The Kremlin leader once again resorted to outright disinformation, trying to boast about the "successes" of his occupation forces. Putin publicly lied that the Russian army had "fully" captured the Luhansk region and already controls 85% of the Donetsk region.
At the same time, he expressed confidence that his army would still be able to occupy all of Donbas, as this is the "first objective of the special military operation." The Kremlin plans to impose its other manipulative goals diplomatically.
"All other objectives, including the denazification of Ukraine, will be resolved through negotiations. The goals of the special military operation were defined back in 2024, and they remain unchanged," the dictator announced.
As yet another "proof" of the invented need for "denazification," Putin mentioned a recent event in Kyiv, the ceremonial reburial of OUN leader Andrii Melnyk, which took place four years after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Direct track with Kyiv and gestures toward Trump
Speaking about the architecture of possible negotiations, Putin suddenly supported the idea of the need to speak directly with Ukraine, but assigned Western partners only the role of observers who should ensure that Russian conditions are fulfilled.
"Naturally, the key issues should be resolved between Russia and Ukraine, while our colleagues in the United States and in other regions can only create conditions and act as guarantors. This is our starting point," the head of Russia said.
Separately, Putin praised serving U.S. President Donald Trump, saying he treats him "as a colleague" and "with respect."
Admission of damage from Ukrainian strikes on Russia’s rear
The dictator was asked an uncomfortable question: how the Kremlin plans to guarantee Russia’s stable economic future and attract foreign investors if Russia’s critical and industrial infrastructure is burning under Ukrainian missile and drone strikes.
Putin acknowledged the effectiveness of the actions of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, complaining of "certain damage."
"These attacks, of course, bring nothing good with them. Moreover, they cause us certain damage," the Kremlin leader admitted, promising that Russia would try to "strengthen its air defense" in response.
