Commenting on the Kremlin leader’s annual press conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that there are “many Putins," PAP reports. During the event, the Russian ruler avoided addressing Russian military losses in the war and denied responsibility for the deaths of civilians in Ukraine.
In 2025, Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence Directorate, stated in an interview with Channel 24 that Putin does indeed have doubles. According to him, they are used to save the leader of the aggressor state time or to protect their life.
“One talks to the Americans, another delivers speeches, a third does something else,” Zelenskyy remarked.
Election control: from Russia to Ukraine
Zelenskyy also addressed Putin’s claim that residents of Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories should allegedly participate in Ukrainian elections. The president underscored the absurdity of this statement, noting that Putin himself refers to these territories as “occupied.”
Putin said “no more wars if you respect us.” Criminologists have a name for this formula.
According to Zelenskyy, total control over Russia’s own electoral process is no longer sufficient for the Kremlin. Putin is now attempting to extend the same model of control to Ukraine.
“We will not accept anyone controlling us,” the Ukrainian president stressed.
Denial of war and distortion of reality
During the broadcast, Putin once again spoke at length about Ukraine while denying Russia’s responsibility for the war and claiming that Moscow did not initiate it.
In fact, the war began in 2014 with Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its war in the Donbas, later escalating into a full-scale invasion despite the Minsk agreements.
These facts are internationally recognized and well-documented, regardless of Kremlin narratives.
