Unofficial translation

1 March 2014. From the verbatim of the conversation of D. Yarosh, then head of the extremist organization “Praviy Sector”,, and O. Tyagnibok, head of the Allukrainian organization “Svoboda”

"D. Yarosh: I want to make a Ukraine for Ukrainians. Now I need the post of the head of the SBU [Security Service of Ukraine]. Besides, we need to clean up the ties between the Ukrainian "bespeka" [security] and the Moskals, they know too much about us. If you help we could work together.

O. Tyagnibok: So, your guys want you to head the SBU; I've heard of that but haven't thought it's true. You really need that? Go for the politics. You've got such a strong backing.

D. Yarosh: Politics? Why? To put on a handsome suit? I've got enough force already. It's high time we stop running around with wooden sling shots. Now I have enough weapons to break the backbone of each and every "inner occupant." With the SBU resources, my guys and I will first clean up the Katsapshchina (Eastern and South-Eastern regions of Ukraine – the editor's note) and Crimea. The katsaps will flee Sevastopol themselves. We will make the ground burn beneath their feet. We'll smother the sailor lot in the corners, blow up a couple of ships. They will run for their dear lives and take their minions with them! I'll choke this refuse. Meanwhile, I'll start the fuss in the Voronezh, Belgorod and Kursk regions. We'll prepare armed groups of tatars and send them to the Caucasus to help the Imarat. Sashko Muzychko can take this up. He's got experience and authority among the Chechens. He's got connections. The more problems the Moskals have, the less they interfere with what we do. This will give us time to gain strength and get on our feet.

O. Tyagnibok: You've got plans good enough for Napoleon.

D. Yarosh: No. Good enough for Bandera.

O. Tyagnibok: What if the katsaps in Ukraine revolt? They are numerous in Donetsk, Kharkov, Sevastopol. The "regionals" and the Сommies haven't swallowed their own teeth yet.

D. Yarosh: They will, and they'll rinse them down with their own blood. I think we could remove the most frantic ones quietly. The rest will calm down for themselves.

O. Tyagnibok: And what will Europe say to that? They won't stand that for long, with their tolerance.

D. Yarosh: I am ready to stand this clown's fooling with the Euro-integration unless they start talking of joining the EU. I'd rather embrace a Kuban cossack than a European faggot. Joining Europe is death for Ukraine. Death for the State and the Christianity. We want a Ukraine for Ukrainians, ruled by Ukrainians and not serving others' interests, including America and the EU. And it will only be this way!

O. Tyagnibok: Okay, I've got it about the Moskals and Europe. What do you think about the Poles? They seriously claim Volyn. They've already started drawing the Kresy Wschodnie on their maps. Pro-Polish sentiments run high there. If we fail to get along with Europe, they might let the "Polish dog" loose against us. In January, the Polish Seim accused the Svoboda of pursuing the anti-Polish policy. They called me anti-Semite and Russophobe. What a whining they started!

D. Yarosh: You can be proud of yourself. No one has called me that so far! So the Armia Krajowa didn't get enough from the OUN and the UPA, did they? If they dare perk up we'll arrange another Katyn for them. We won't yield a single metre of the Ukrainian land to either the Moskals or the Lyakhs or even worse – the Yids! We've got enough posts to hang them all!".

8 March 2014 Irina Farion, People's deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of the seventh convocation from the All-Ukrainian Union Svoboda: "We need to finally learn to read our history without deception and come to realize: our primary enemy is Moscow. This is our national path. This is our programme and plan of action. Get up, break your shackles and sprinkle your freedom with the enemy's evil blood. Your enemy's, not your own!" (Golos Epokhi magazine)

24 July 2015 Aleksandr Turchinov, former acting President of Ukraine and former Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine: "Many of its strong and serious neighbours see Russia, especially its Eastern part, as a canned food that has to be cracked open in the near future." (UNIAN news agency)

4 November 2016 Aleksandr Turchinov, former acting President of Ukraine and former Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine: "To me, the 'Russian world' is tantamount to Russian tanks, Russian multiple launch rocket systems. And those who are "for" this 'Russian world' are subject to – if you don't mind me saying – a long-term imprisonment or annihilation." (LB.ua)

4 September 2018 Andrei Parubiy, ex-Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada: "I am a huge supporter of direct democracy myself. By the way, let me tell you that the person who most practiced direct democracy was Adolf Aloisovich (Hitler) in the 1930s." (YouTube)

13 March 2019 Andrei Biletsky, People's deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the eighth convocation: "We need to leverage all of these opportunities to develop a fully-functioning country, to destroy the power of Russia, to cause anarchy there, maybe a civil war, maybe a war in the Caucasus, maybe a social crisis – there are many options. Further, amidst such a crisis, we could carry out a blitz offensive operation under the "Croatian scenario", which would lead to ten times less casualties than this yearly standing on the line. But first we must weaken the enemy, and then a short military operation will be possible." (/apostrophe.ua/)

5 August 2021 President Vladimir Zelensky: "I think that if you live today on the temporarily occupied territory of Donbass and believe that "our cause is just", "we go to Russia", "we are Russians", it is a great fault for you to stay living in Donbass… Because there won't be civilization on this territory without Ukraine… I think that, for the future of you children and grandchildren, once you love Russia and have spent the whole life on the territory of Ukraine and have felt that it is Russia, then you should realize that, for the sake of your children and grandchildren, you have to go and find a place in Russia. This would be correct." (Interfax – Ukraine)

26 November 2021 President Vladimir Zelensky: "Do you call them humans [on those who were put under sanctions by the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine]? There are different ones. There are representatives of humans. Not all representatives of humans are humans. There are species, I believe so." (web-site of the President of Ukraine)

24 February 2022, Aleksandr Turchynov, former acting President of Ukraine and former Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council: "We are ready to exterminate the “Russkies” wherever possible. We should kill the “Russkies” not only inside but also outside Ukraine – in the Russian territory." (Turchinov's vk-page)

12 March 2022, Dmitriy Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs: "The elimination of the President of the Russian Federation would be sufficient to end the war in Ukraine." (during Renew Democracy Initiative event)

19 May 2022, Mikhail Podolyak, Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President: "I think it would be good if people in the Kharkov, Luhansk and Donetsk regions forgot the word 'Russians' once and for all." (kommersant.ru Internet portal)

22 August 2022, Pyotr Vrublevsky, Ukraine's Ambassador to Kazakhstan: "We are trying to kill as many of them [Russians] as possible. The more Russians we kill now, the less will remain for our children to kill. That's it." (RT)

8 September 2022, Andrey Yermak, Head of the Office of the President: "Russians, these subhumans, have no right to be among the civilized citizens of Western countries." (Ukrainian President's website)

7 December 2022, Aleksey Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council: "Russia needs to disappear from the world map as a military and political entity within its current boundaries." (Facebook post)

13 December 2022, Aleksey Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council: "Everything will be burning in flames till the whole of Moscow burns down." (interview to 1+1 TV channel)

12 May 2023, Vladimir Zelensky, President: "Those in the Kremlin, will end badly, just mark my word. I do not know how, to be honest, I just wish for it to be over as soon as possible. But they certainly will not die their own deaths." (BBC interview)

17 May 2023, Aleksey Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council: "I would like to remind certain international political figures: weapons are the best means of diplomatic communication in relations with Moscow." (RBC-Ukraine)

18 May 2023, Mikhail Podolyak, Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President: "Yes, Ukraine hates you [Russians]. We will be chasing you. Always and everywhere. Ukraine will get to each of you, no matter how – legally or physically." (Twitter post)

21 May 2023, Kirill Budanov, Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence: "Those are people with a twisted mind who should be brought to fair justice. We believe, fair justice can only mean physical elimination." (TV show "The World Inside Out", 1+1 TV channel)

3 June 2023, Aleksey Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council: "Remnants who believe that they have the right to speak Russian on Ukrainian airwaves, have no place not only on television, but also in politics and in Ukraine." (Twitter post)

15 June 2023, Mikhail Podolyak, Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President: "There is only one plan. It is the harshest advance with the killing of a maximum number of Russians." (RT)

22 June 2023, Vladimir Zelensky, President: "I believe that if he [V.V.Putin] does not stop threatening the world with nuclear weapons, I am sure that the world knows the format of how to deprive him of his vital functions." (The Moscow Times)

28 June 2023 Vladimir Zelensky, President: "Russia views all of its neighbors as slaves or enemies." (Ukrainian President's website)

3 July 2023 Aleksey Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council (Bild interview): "Tatarstan will be a separate country, Dagestan will be a separate country; they will have nothing in common with Russia. These are colonies of the Russian Federation… The West must understand that Russia is fragmented and there is no force that could hold it together." (Interfax-Ukraine)

14 July 2023 Valeriy Zaluzhny, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: "It is up to us to decide how to kill this enemy. In war, enemies can and must be killed in their own territory. If our partners are afraid to use their weapons we will use ours. And as many as we need." (interview to The Washington Post).

2 August 2023, Aleksey Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council: "We [i.e. Ukraine and Poland] share the same European history, millions of family and friendly ties and the only goal – to destroy the Moscow beast…" (Interfax Ukraine)

8 August 2023, Mikhail Podolyak, Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President: "…There is no other ending to this war than setting Russia on the path of its historical rebirth. This is only possible through isolation, mass repentance and – as an imperative – judicial sentences, as well as through a systemic large-scale internal mutiny. Existing Russian institutes and today's aggressive passionaries must sink into oblivion…" (message in Telegram)

31 August 2023, Andrey Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine: “The soaring prices and the collapsing rouble felt by ordinary Russians are the consequences of their dictator’s efforts to finance the war and the impact of sanctions against Russia’s economy. Madness and crimes have to be paid for. Time has come. The war will get more costly, and life in Russia, even after the war, must become a quest for every Russian: even their future generations must pay the price of this war. Poverty, backwardness, isolation… We will do whatever it takes to make it happen, because the blame for the mad dictator’s crimes lies with the entire people. Russia will feel the pain – economic pain, in particular”.

 

Unofficial translation

Statements by Ukrainian officials regarding talks with Russia

(2022-2023)

 

17 April 2022, President V. Zelensky (in an interview with CNN): "We can fight against the Russian Federation even for 10 years... Our society does not want us to continue negotiations (with Russia)." (Strana.ua online media outlet)

17 July 2022, Minister of Foreign Affairs D. Kuleba (in an interview with Forbes Ukraine): "Russia must sit down at the negotiating table after the defeat on the battlefield." (rambler.ru Internet portal)

1 October 2022, President V. Zelensky: "Ukraine is ready to negotiate with the Russian Federation, but with a new President of Russia who will understand what is going on." (President of Ukraine website)

8 December 2022, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine A. Danilov: "To end the war, Ukraine does not need a negotiating table. Putin's capitulation can be accepted standing up." (Twitter message)

12 February 2023, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine A.Danilov: "Russia is a problem that has spread like gangrene, threatening the whole world. Security guarantees for Ukraine are the de‑subjectivization of Russia as a state entity, de-colonization of its territory, de‑nuclearization, de-putinization of its population... Russia will cease to exist within the borders it has now. It is a colonial country. It will become much smaller in size. It cannot and will not exist in the form it has now. And it will not be up to them. We all know that there will be a free Ichkeria, that there will be a free Tatarstan, and that there will be a free Dagestan. This will happen in the near future." (Ukrainskaya Pravda)

16 February 2023, President V. Zelensky: "Weapons are the only language which Russia understands... We want security guarantees. Any territorial compromise would weaken us as a state. It is not a question of a compromise itself. Why should we be afraid of it? The question is, with whom? With Vladimir Putin? No. Because there is no trust. Dialog with him? No. Because there is no trust." (Interfax-Ukraine)

20 February 2023, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine A.Yermak: "Our common goal is the victory of Ukraine over Russia and the triumph of Ukrainian warriors and Western weapons." (Interfax-Ukraine)

21 February 2023, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine A.Danilov: The war will end when Ukrainian "tanks are on Red Square." (in an interview with The Sun)

24 February 2023, President V.Zelensky: "Negotiations with Russia can only be based on the Ukrainian "peace formula", which implies a withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukraine and a return to the 1991 borders, including the return of Crimea." (Strana.today)

22 March 2023, Minister of Foreign Affairs D. Kuleba: "We knew long before the ICC issued an arrest warrant that it was pointless to talk to Vladimir Putin. The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine issued a decision last year on 30 September stating that any talks with Vladimir Putin were impossible..." (Interfax-Ukraine)

4 May 2023, President V. Zelensky: "For us, the ultimate result is absolutely specified sentences for all Russian war criminals, including the top leadership of the aggressor country... We know where the hybrid peace came from. The Minsk agreements were a hybrid peace, and we all know where that led to." (Ukrainian President's website).

13 May 2023, President V. Zelensky: "Since the war is on Ukrainian territory, the peace plan can only be Ukrainian.... The Ukrainian peace formula consists of 10 points that comprehensively address the threats to peace.10 very concrete steps." (President of Ukraine website)

17 May 2023, Aleksey Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council: "I would like to remind certain international political figures: in relations with Moscow, weapons are the best means of diplomatic communication." (RBC-Ukraine)

17 May 2023, Adviser to the Head of Office of the President of Ukraine M. Podolyak: "We welcome the aspirations of world leaders, including African or Latin American or American leaders, to restore peace and the rule of law in the international order, so we invite them to join the implementation of the President Zelensky's peace formula. There is no need to waste time inventing something that already exists...One can only talk about a real political settlement and a stable world when the hostilities end and the territories are liberated. Only in this way. Any other options will lead to the continuation of hostilities, terrorist attacks around the world and the collapse of the foundations of international security." (Interfax-Ukraine)

18 May 2023, Adviser to the Head of Office of the President of Ukraine M. Podolyak: "Yes, Ukraine hates you. Yes, we will persecute you. Always and everywhere. Yes, there is nothing to talk to you about – you don't know modern human languages. Yes, the time of your traditional whining, which had a hypnotic effect on global politics, is coming to an end. Yes, Ukraine will get each and every one of you, whether legally or physically." (Twitter message)

28 May 2023, Adviser to the Head of Office of the President of Ukraine M. Podolyak: "The Russian Federation will get the talk about the real conditions for ending the war only on the battlefield. And after such a "talk" offered by our armed forces, it will have no choice... The main point of the peace plan is the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. Only then will the talks with the Russians begin. Any other initiative today is an attempt to impose a Russian plan, the key point of which is an immediate ceasefire, but without the withdrawal of the Russian occupation group. This is an absolutely unacceptable position, which is not aimed at peace but at ensuring, in effect, a Russian victory." (President of Ukraine website)

1 June 2023, President V. Zelensky: "The war is on our land, so the peace formula can only be ours." (President of Ukraine website)

9 June 2023, Minister of Defense A.Reznikov: "We already see the line of those willing to get us to reconcile with Russia. Mostly these are countries that are not completely, not fully democratic. Everybody was told very simply: when you talk about mediation, the rule of any mediator is to first define, to identify the interests of the parties. And the interests of the Russians were expressed in the so-called "special military operation" — denazification, demilitarization, de-NATOisation….First, identify the interests on the part of the Russians. Has it changed? If yes, then the so-called ZOPA — zone of possible agreement — will become clear. And if not, stay in line. We'll somehow figure out what to do here without you." (RIA Novosti)

1 July 2023, President V. Zelensky: "Ukraine will be ready for some form of diplomacy when we actually reach our borders, our real borders in accordance with international law." (President of Ukraine website)

7 August 2023, Adviser to the Head of Office of the President of Ukraine M. Podolyak: "The only basic "foundation for negotiations" is President Zelenskyy's peace formula. There can be no compromise positions such as "immediate ceasefires" and "negotiations here and now" that give Russia time to stay in the occupied territories. Only the withdrawal of Russian troops to the 1991 border. One should have no illusions: any "Minsk-3" will only prolong the war in the future." (Twitter message)

10 August 2023, Minister of Foreign Affairs D. Kuleba (in an interview with Corriere della Sera): "We can have negotiations with Russia, once their troops are withdrawn from our lands, but not with V. Putin… It is clear to us that we will never be able to see Putin and Zelensky sitting at the same table…" (STRANA.ua)

23 August 2023, Andrey Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine: “I don’t know, I haven’t heard any responsible politician or world leader raise the question of negotiations. Everyone says that it is up to Ukraine to decide when to agree to negotiate and on what terms. Ukraine’s position is crystal clear and well-known: as long as Russian troops are present in our territory, negotiations are out of question. President Zelensky’s “peace formula” describes the rest of the “diplomacy”.

4 September 2023, Dmitriy Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine: “No country in the world wants peace more than Ukraine. However, some wars are more than just conflicts or territorial disputes… the Ukraine conflict cannot be ended by “bringing the sides to the negotiating table”. The path to diplomacy lies through the battlefield”.