News Feed

Navalny urges restoration of 1991 borders, reparation payments to Ukraine by Russia

2 min read
Navalny urges restoration of 1991 borders, reparation payments to Ukraine by Russia
Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny is seen on the screen during his legal appeal against his nine-year prison sentence, in Moscow's City Court, on May 24, 2022, in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)

Jailed Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny’s team issued a statement on Feb. 20 calling for the restoration of Ukraine’s 1991 borders and the payment of reparations by Moscow, independent Russian media outlet Meduza reported.

“What are the borders of Ukraine? The same as in Russia – internationally recognized, defined in 1991,” the statement said. “Russia must recognize these borders even now. There is nothing to discuss.”

The restoration of Ukraine’s borders, as defined in 1991, would include the return of Crimea to Ukraine, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.

Navalny’s statement contradicts his previous position regarding Crimea. In 2014, he falsely claimed that the peninsula is “de-facto"Russian. When asked about Crimea at the time, he added that it is not just a “sausage sandwich to pass back and forth,” implying that it would not be returned to Ukraine.

Navalny's current statement, comprised of 15 points, also called for the payment of reparations by Russia to Ukraine for its full-scale war.

“Let me re-emphasize that we will have to reimburse Ukraine for all the damage caused by Putin’s aggression after the war,” he said. “However, the restoration of normal economic relations with the civilized world and the return of economic growth will allow us to do so without interfering with the development of our country.”

Navalny noted that “Russia is suffering a military defeat” in Ukraine, adding that the “lives of tens of thousands of Russian soldiers have been senselessly ruined.”

Navalny was poisoned with Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok in August 2020, a move which is confirmed to have been executed by Moscow.

‘Navalny’ movie review: Documentary depicts a hero, but who is Navalny to Ukraine?
Article image
Avatar
Teah Pelechaty

Opinion Editor

Teah Pelechaty is the opinion editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is also a co-editor of Belarus Weekly, the Kyiv Independent's weekly update on current affairs in Belarus. She received a master’s degree in Global Affairs with a specialization in Global Security and Digital Governance at the University of Toronto and Sciences Po. She was previously a junior policy analyst in national security at the Government of Canada and a research associate with the European Values Center for Security Policy and the Atlantic Council.

Read more
News Feed

The World Bank will provide $200 million over the next five years to prepare Ukrainian projects for large-scale reconstruction, the Economy Ministry announced on July 11. The funding will be available under the five-year PREPARE program with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA).

Video

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, war has become a daily reality for thousands of Ukrainian children. Some Ukrainian military units, such as the Azov Brigade, offer boot camps for teenagers to teach them the basics of self-defense, first aid, dry firing, and other survival skills — helping them prepare for both the realities of today and the uncertainties of the future.

Show More