Budanov said the policy of Russia’s current leader, Vladimir Putin, is not fundamentally different from policies of the tsarist or Soviet eras. He added that Russia is unlikely to change through internal processes alone.
“Instead, we should create conditions under which Russia will disappear as an empire,” Budanov said.
He said that if Russia broke into several nation-states, not only Ukraine but other European countries would be secure.
“Several regional national states should emerge on its territory, each of which would look after the welfare of its own people,” said the official.
“Then Ukraine, Europe, and the whole world would feel safer.”
The remarks come after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was asked Feb. 18 in an interview with UK journalist Piers Morgan whether he would order the killing of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin if presented with an opportunity to do so. Zelenskyy said replacing one person in the Russian system would not necessarily change the nature of the regime.
“In their system, I’m not sure another person wouldn’t
become the same Putin,” Zelenskyy replied. “The essence [of the Russian state] is
not in that.”