Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev argued Thursday that the collapse of Ukraine was "inevitable from a historical perspective," citing economic, demographic, and political factors.
In a statement on Russian social media platform Max, Medvedev, Russia's president between 2008 and 2012, claimed Ukraine was dependent on external financial assistance and said "a country that cannot exist without external infusions inevitably loses its sovereignty."
"No propaganda statements by Western countries about boundless global support, nor their false promises of NATO or EU membership, will stop Ukraine's systemic disintegration. In the historical perspective, the collapse of the so-called Ukraine is inevitable," he said.
He also claimed Ukraine had "irreversibly lost" more than 20% of the territory it inherited following the collapse of the Soviet Union and would "undoubtedly lose new lands."
According to Medvedev, Ukraine's population has fallen sharply since independence, dropping from more than 51.5 million people in 1991 to fewer than 23 million at present, based on what he described as current estimates.
The senior Russian official further claimed Ukraine had lost nearly half of its industrial potential and more than 20% of its agricultural potential amid the ongoing war.
Medvedev also argued that many central government institutions in Ukraine had either lost legitimacy or were formed in violation of the constitution.
He added that the country was effectively operating under external governance, with key decisions directed by foreign and international officials.
