Lieutenant General Viktor Sobolev, a member of the Russian parliament’s defence committee, reiterated Moscow’s controversial territorial ambitions.
Speaking to Russian media, Sobolev said, “The goal is the creation of a united union state of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. The restoration of the Russian world within its natural borders.”
He added historically charged statements that have long been rejected by Ukraine, including referring to Kyiv as “the mother of Russian cities” and invoking medieval rulers to frame Russia’s claim to Ukrainian territory.
Diplomatic Tensions Amid Prisoner Swap
Ironically, the overnight escalation came just hours after the largest prisoner exchange between the two nations since the early days of the war.
