Russia shed its skin three times — tsarist, soviet, oligarch — but imperial beast inside never died, Budanov says

World security is only possible after the collapse of Russia as an empire, says Head of Ukraine's President's Office Kyrylo Budanov. The strategic goal should be to divide the aggressor country into several states, with each being focused on the welfare of its own people, reports Al-Mudun.

Regardless of its current name, its core ideology remains unchanged, Budanov states. Only the eradication of Moscow’s imperial ambitions will guarantee world security.

Overall, the policies of the current Russian president are not significantly different from those of the tsarist or Soviet eras, he adds.

Imperial ambitions remain — they must be eradicated

“Russian authorities have never prioritized improving the living conditions of their citizens, whether under the tsarist regime, the Soviet Union, or the modern oligarchic capitalist system,” he says.

According to him, Russia has changed over the past 12 years — it has become poorer across all areas: economic, political, and demographic. However, Budanov notes, one thing remains unchanged: Russia’s imperial ambitions.

“This is precisely what must be completely eradicated to make Russia a civilized country. Can we achieve this? Undoubtedly, it is our goal,” he says.

Division into national states — the key to world security

“Unfortunately, this will not happen in the near future. But I am confident that we will achieve our goals, if not now, then soon,” he states.

In his view, it is futile to expect Russia to change again due to internal factors. Instead, conditions must be created that will cause Russia to collapse as an empire. Only then will Ukraine, Europe, and the entire world feel safer.