Russian Security Council Deputy affirms claim to Dnieper territories

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, emphasized Russia's territorial claims over the regions situated on both banks of the Dnieper River, labelling them as integral to Russia's historical borders.

Medvedev's remarks come amidst heightened tensions in the region and ongoing disputes over territorial sovereignty.

The territories on both banks of the Dnieper River are an integral part of Russia's borders, all attempts to cut them off are doomed, Medvedev said, TASS reports.

"All our adversaries need to firmly and forever understand a simple truth: the territories on both banks of the Dnieper are an integral part of Russia's strategic historical borders, so all attempts to forcibly change them, to cut them off alive, they are doomed," Medvedev stressed.

Medvedev underscored the significance of these territories to Russia's strategic and historical borders, warning against any attempts to forcibly alter or separate them. Quoting Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, he emphasized the importance of respecting and honouring ancestral heritage, labelling disrespect for ancestors as a sign of savagery and immorality.

"Disrespect for ancestors is the first sign of savagery and immorality. To be proud of the glory of one's ancestors is not only possible, but also necessary, not to respect it is shameful cowardice," Medvedev noted.

Highlighting the longstanding ties between the regions and Russia, Medvedev referenced historical events such as the Old Russian state and the movement of trade caravans from the Varangians to the Greeks. He emphasized the shared language, religion, and cultural identity that bind these territories with Russia, portraying them as an inseparable part of Russia's geopolitical space.

"We have a common language, a common religion, a common idea of the everyday habitual way of human life. Therefore, this is an integral part of the space that is sacred to each of us, no matter how much wild Ukrainian Nazis and their masters seek to tear this space apart today," Medvedev pointed out.