Putin Declares ‘The Whole of Ukraine Is Ours’

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 20 that the entirety of Ukraine belongs to Russia. His statement comes despite Russian forces controlling roughly only one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.

Putin also hinted at expanding control into the northern Sumy region, which Russian troops have been advancing into rapidly. The regional capital, home to about 250,000 people, lies just over a dozen miles from the Russian border.

“Where the foot of a Russian soldier steps, that is ours,” Putin stated.

Ukrainian Leaders React with Condemnation

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha strongly condemned Putin’s remarks as “deranged,” accusing him of disregarding U.S. and international peace efforts.

Sybiha wrote on X that Russia’s leader was demonstrating “complete disdain” for calls to end the killing, instead discussing plans to seize more Ukrainian territory and cause further loss of life.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded by broadening Putin’s threat beyond Ukraine. In a social media post on June 21, Zelenskyy warned that Putin’s ambitions extend toward Belarus, the Baltic states, Moldova, the Caucasus, Kazakhstan, and any region Russian forces can reach.

The remarks come nearly two weeks after one of Russia’s largest air attacks on Kyiv since the war began over three years ago.

Putin has a long history of seeking to undermine Ukrainian independence, which was officially declared in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have stalled since early June, after Russia issued strict demands including Kyiv ceding large swaths of territory. Ukraine has firmly rejected these conditions.

Featured image credit: FMT

For more stories like it, click the +Follow button at the top of this page to follow us.