Russian President Vladimir Putin exploited his 4 December interview with India Today to repeat his discredited historical justifications for seizing Ukrainian territory, demanding Ukraine withdraw from its own land or face continued military assault—even as Trump administration envoys shuttle between Moscow and Kyiv seeking peace.
Putin's prime-time appearance on Indian television ahead of his state visit matters because it shows Moscow using friendly international platforms to legitimize territorial conquest through fabricated history while simultaneously engaging in peace negotiations. The Russian leader's willingness to make maximalist demands during active diplomacy reveals the Kremlin's strategy of using talks as cover for aggression rather than genuine conflict resolution.
Ancient Rus mythology repackaged for Indian audience
Putin devoted substantial interview time to claiming Ukraine's capital belongs to Russia based on medieval history. When asked about his 2014 statement that "Kiev is the mother of all Russian cities," he asserted this justified current territorial claims.
"Originally, the Russian state was formed from several centres. The first capital, according to history, was in Novgorod in the northwest. Later the federal status moved to the city of Veliky Novgorod, and then it moved to Kiev. This was Ancient Rus," Putin told the Indian anchors, attempting to establish historical ownership over Ukrainian lands.
A distorted history lesson, given that Novgorod (Veliky Novgorod being its modern name) comes after Kyiv, at least chronologically. This sounds no less strange, knowing that the Tsardom of Muscovy became the Russian Empire only in 1721 by decree of Peter the Great, claiming the name "Russia" to assert continuity with ancient Rus.
He then claimed territories "ended up in Poland" before supposedly seeking to "return back to Russia" in the seventeenth century—a narrative that erases centuries of distinct Ukrainian statehood and identity. Historians consistently reject Putin's version as grossly oversimplified propaganda that ignores Ukraine's separate political, cultural, and linguistic development.
Language ban fiction and ultimatum threats
Putin repeated his false claim that Ukraine banned the Russian language in Donbas, stating: "They don't even mention it—we've tried to resolve these issues peacefully for eight years, signed the Minsk agreements, hoping that they could be resolved through peaceful means."
In reality, Russian-language media, schools, and cultural institutions operated throughout Ukraine before the 2022 invasion, including in eastern regions.
The Russian president then issued his standard ultimatum: Ukraine must withdraw troops from territories Russia claims within "administrative boundaries established during Soviet times."
"Either we take back these territories by force, or eventually Ukrainian troops withdraw and stop killing people there," Putin declared, framing Ukraine's defense of its own territory as aggression.
Negotiation theater during active diplomacy
Putin's hardline public posture came just days after his five-hour meeting with Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, which he described as covering "27 points" broken into "four packages" for discussion.
Yet rather than signal flexibility, Putin used the Indian platform to reinforce territorial demands and threaten continued military action—undermining the very peace process he claims to support.
When asked about Trump's mediation efforts, Putin acknowledged the US president's "genuine intentions" but insisted Russia would only end military operations after achieving its territorial objectives. "We will finish it when we achieve the goals set at the beginning of the special military operation—when we free these territories," he stated.
Fabricated referendums and "people's will"
Putin attempted to legitimize Russia's territorial claims by citing staged referendums in occupied territories. "We provided people with an opportunity to express their will in an open referendum. Those who believed it was in their interest to join Russia voted accordingly," he claimed.
International observers, human rights organizations, and Western governments have universally condemned these votes as fraudulent exercises conducted under military occupation with no legitimate democratic process.
Strategic timing with peace talks underway
The interview came during active Trump administration shuttle diplomacy between Moscow, Kyiv, and European capitals.
Yet the Russian president used the Indian platform to reiterate his ultimatum: Ukraine must withdraw from territories Russia claims "within administrative boundaries established during Soviet times," or face continued military assault. The interview reached both the Global South audience through India's strategic autonomy positioning and domestic Russian viewers, framing territorial demands as historical correction while negotiations remain ongoing.
