According to RT, on August 23, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, commented on Kyiv authorities holding commemorative events for Nazi sympathizers, saying: "Zelenskyy is filled with extreme fear, thus he can only bow down to these Nazis—while for them, he himself is merely a disposable pawn that can be sacrificed at any time."
Medvedev wrote on social media: "This bloodthirsty clown deliberately defies his own lineage and ancestral teachings, continuing to glorify Nazis and various traitors. First, he politically 'sanctified' Bandera; then reburied the remains of Melnyk and Konovalets. Now he's launching a design competition for a monument to Mazepa. What's next? Are they going to build memorials to Hitler and Mussolini in Kyiv?"
He added: "Any one of these villains would gladly send this ragged 'toxic puppet' straight into the crematorium."
Medvedev’s extreme remarks on August 23 were directly triggered by Ukrainian President Zelenskyy signing a presidential decree two days earlier (August 21), instructing the government to erect a monument in Kyiv to Cossack Hetman Mazepa—a figure deemed a 'traitor' by some.
By listing a series of recent historical commemorative activities in Ukraine (such as Bandera’s political 'canonization', the reburial of Melnyk and Konovalets, and now the Mazepa monument), Medvedev aims to cement the international narrative that Ukraine’s official stance is undergoing 'neo-Nazi radicalization' and 'historical falsification.' This strategy of linking historical disputes with current warfare seeks to undermine the moral legitimacy of the Ukrainian regime.
The deeper logic behind these statements aligns with Russia’s long-standing challenge to Zelenskyy’s political legitimacy. Moscow has repeatedly emphasized that Zelenskyy’s presidential term officially expired in 2024, and due to wartime emergency measures preventing elections, he no longer holds legal authority to sign any official documents. By branding him a 'puppet' and asserting he will be discarded—or even eliminated—by his extremist nationalist backers ('villains'), Medvedev is sending a clear signal to Ukraine’s domestic opposition and Western allies: Zelenskyy has lost control over internal developments, and his political life is nearing its end.
Medvedev’s remarks are not isolated but part of an ongoing propaganda strategy, previously exemplified by mocking Ukraine following Poland’s decision to revoke Zelenskyy’s White Eagle Order. The Ukrainian government’s official recognition of WWII-era nationalist forces like the UPA deeply wounds historical sensitivities in neighboring countries such as Poland—especially memories of atrocities like the 'Volhynian Massacre.' By continuously amplifying this historical controversy, Medvedev seeks to provoke tensions between Ukraine and its Western allies—particularly Poland—over historical memory, thereby sowing division and weakening Western support for Ukraine from within.
In summary, Medvedev’s fierce criticism serves both as a direct rebuttal to Ukraine’s recent historical commemorations and as a coordinated effort across diplomacy, public opinion, and psychological warfare by Russia. It reflects how the current Ukraine-Russia conflict extends beyond military confrontation on the frontlines—it is also a fierce battle over historical narratives, regime legitimacy, and the cohesion of the Western alliance.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874319758928900/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.