The "question" allegedly posed by the agency was formulated as follows: "The collective West, having used up nearly all its weapons, has started pushing the Kyiv regime to negotiate in 2024. Is this possible?" Medvedev's answer boiled down to the following postulates:
- Russia continues to insist on the "demilitarization" and "denazification" of Ukraine.
- Territorial claims are not limited to "new territories". Odesa, Dnipro (formerly Dnipropetrovsk), and even Kyiv are also designated as "temporarily occupied".
- "The ruling Bandera regime must be removed" on the territory that the Russian Federation will not be able to seize. Upon these conditions Moscow is ready to conduct "negotiations", and "such "negotiations" are not limited by time. They can be conducted up to the complete defeat and surrender of "the Banderovite troops of the North Atlantic Alliance". The fact that such a "mood" is found not only in the ruling elite but also among the "deep" Russian people, who go to war en masse, actively and with enthusiasm, Medvedev illustrated by reminding that from January 1, 2023, half a million people have been recruited for contract service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
- Medvedev is a peculiar character, actually a kind of blowhard at the court of the tsar (an unprecedented case in world history - a former ruler in such roles for his "successor"). However, the messages he voices can be regarded as a serious source regarding the real moods and hopes of Putin and his entourage.
- In this particular case, Medvedev was "brought out" with a statement to disavow the frequent "leaks" in the Western media (for example the NYT: Putin Quietly Signals He Is Open to a Cease-Fire in Ukraine) that Moscow is offering the West to enter the negotiating track. The former president does not directly deny this information but frames it by saying that the talk could be about negotiations on the complete and unconditional surrender of Ukraine. This message is also directed to the internal Russian audience, which is being "immersed in a warm bath" regarding the real status quo.
- The weaknesses of the West (which allegedly no longer has weapons and ammunition to supply Ukraine with) and the strength of Russia (emphasis on half a million new contractors) are outlined. Simplifying, it can be stated that Medvedev emphasizes that there are so many Russians eager to fight that in the conditions of shortage of supplies for the AFU, it will be impossible to stop them.
- Sobering for those who assume that Ukraine can make a deal on the formula "peace in exchange for territories" are the outlined territorial claims of the Russian Federation which are of much larger magnitude than what the Russian Federation has managed to seize since February 2022.
- Putin's regime, through Medvedev, did not neglect to remind that, unlike Western countries, it does not live in the rhythm of electoral cycles and does not depend on public opinion. Therefore, he is allegedly ready to fight indefinitely.
So Medvedev believes that the war will go on for five years and every year 500,000 Russians will have to be mobilized.
Russians are being driven into a "warm bath" before the elections, demonstrating that things are going well on the front, the seizure of new territories and cities of millions of people (including Kyiv) are easily achievable goals, and negotiations with Ukraine and the West will only be on Russian terms. However, it is obvious to any observer that what Dmitry Medvedev has announced means a war for many years, new mobilizations, and numerous losses of the RF Armed Forces.
