Portnikov on Putin’s ultimate goal for Ukraine and why Kostiantynivka matters
Portnikov believes Russia has not abandoned its strategic goal—the destruction of Ukrainian statehood.
Ukrainian Armed Forces on the frontline / © Getty Images
The Kremlin is using the Russian offensive on Kostiantynivka not only as a military operation but also as a political signal, journalist Vitaly Portnikov said on air with Espreso TV.
Portnikov says that the Russian leadership currently finds it crucial to «exploit the capture of Kostiantynivka» as a response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s proposals for a one-on-one meeting with Vladimir Putin.
At the same time, the journalist believes that even if the city falls, the Russian president will not agree to direct talks.
«Following the Normandy format negotiations, Putin’s interest in personal contact with Zelenskyy effectively vanished, as the Kremlin became convinced that the Ukrainian government has no intention of capitulating,» Portnikov noted.
Why Russia will not stop
The journalist is convinced that even the potential occupation of the entire Donetsk region would not signal the end of the war.
«If they seize the Donetsk region, it does not mean they will want to stop. Appetite comes with eating—they will want to capture the next region,» he said.
In his view, the situation surrounding Kostiantynivka demonstrates that the Kremlin has not revised its long-term plans.
«In Russia, they aren’t even considering ending the war without destroying Ukraine, its statehood, and the Ukrainian identity. They believe that if they failed to achieve this in 2022, they can do it in 2032. For them, it is not a question of time, but of the outcome,» the journalist emphasized.
Portnikov believes that Russia must not be allowed to gain a sense of success from continuing the war. According to him, Ukraine, together with its international partners, must convince the Kremlin that the war is merely draining Russia itself. As an example, he pointed to the infrastructure failures and fuel shortages on the temporarily occupied Crimean peninsula.
«Russia must realize that this war is a dead end. But for now, Putin sees no political alternative other than trying to exhaust Ukraine for as long as his resources allow,» Portnykov concluded.