Putin obsessed with Ukraine, aims to seize territory from Kharkiv to Odesa — historian

Historian and Ukrainian Catholic University professor Yaroslav Hrytsak expressed this opinion on Espreso TV.

"The USSR is already history, no matter what they tell themselves in Russia or how much they try to relive that dream. Today, no one has the resources or conditions to bring it back. Of course, the Russians want it, but it’s simply not possible. Putin wants it too, but the question is, where does he want the borders to be? Is it the Soviet Union he wants to rebuild, or the Russian Empire? Or maybe the borders before NATO’s expansion in 2007? Or just a union of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine? No one knows what’s really going on in his head," Hrytsak said.

The historian stressed that Putin is fixated on taking Odesa to cut Ukraine off from the sea. At the same time, he has no interest in Western Ukraine, which he sees as "toxic".

"We need to understand one key thing — Putin is obsessed with Ukraine, its existence as an independent state. I’ve said this many times. He won’t drop this idea. Even if the war ends and there’s some kind of peace deal, that won’t be his endgame. His real goal is Kharkiv and Odesa. Especially Odesa. Then comes turning Kyiv into a small place like Minsk. His plan is to annex half of Ukraine, from Kharkiv to Uman. He wants to cut the country off from the sea. But he’s not interested in Western Ukraine. He sees it as toxic, a big mistake made by Stalin. He believes Western Ukraine is like a ‘virus’ that infects the whole body. That’s why he’s suggested more than once to the Poles and Hungarians that they take it for themselves," he added.

• On May 27, U.S. leader Donald Trump said Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is playing with fire. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, responded to those remarks.
• On May 28, Politico, citing its own sources, reported that President Trump has made it clear his patience with Putin is running out. However, he has not yet decided on his next steps.