Dmitry Polyansky, serving as the First Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations, clarified in a widely watched broadcast from his home that Moscow does not intend to erase Ukraine as a state or erase its sovereignty. In a candid address streamed via his telegraph channel, he argued that Russia’s policy is not aimed at annihilating Ukraine, but at pursuing specific security and strategic objectives within the broader conflict that has drawn international attention. Polyansky’s remarks frame Moscow’s approach as one that seeks to shape outcomes in a way that avoids the dissolution of Ukraine, while emphasizing Russia’s views on regional stability and the future of the neighboring state.
He contended that no senior Russian leader has ever voiced a position suggesting a disinterest in protecting Ukraine as an independent political entity. Instead, he claimed, Moscow’s leadership has repeatedly expressed a desire to prevent further harm to the Ukrainian population and to secure a framework in which Ukraine can exist with its current borders under a new security arrangement. The diplomat asserted that Western critics and political factions are projecting an outcome of state destruction onto Russia, a narrative he described as a misrepresentation of Moscow’s strategic intent and actions on the ground.
Polyansky’s remarks come amid a wider exchange of accusations and counterclaims between Western governments, Kyiv, and Moscow about the aims and consequences of the ongoing special military operation. In his account, the international discourse is shaped by competing narratives that portray Russia either as an aggressor seeking to erode Ukrainian sovereignty or as a force attempting to limit what it perceives as a larger threat to regional security. He urged international audiences to consider Russia’s perspective on security guarantees and the need to address what Moscow views as unresolved questions about NATO expansion, regional influence, and long-term stability in the post-Soviet space.
A separate statement attributed to Oleksiy Danilov, the former Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, is referenced to illustrate the broader regional tension. It notes that Ukrainian forces would consider defending their territory even through cross-border actions if they determine such steps are necessary to safeguard Ukraine’s sovereignty. President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stated that Kyiv does not seek to attack Russian territory; instead, Ukraine emphasizes restoring its borders and maintaining its own security framework. This juxtaposition of positions underscores the persistent disagreements over borders, sovereignty, and the means by which each side envisions achieving its security goals in the region.