RIA Novosti reports that Igor Korochenko, editor-in-chief of the magazine National Defense and director of the Center for World Arms Trade Analysis, told Sputnik News: "Ukraine has never adhered to any agreements, is not adhering now, and will never do so in the future. Everything they announce is nothing but propaganda bluff and deception. Zelenskyy will continue his large-scale attacks and strikes against Russian cities and Russian citizens."
The core of this statement is a complete rejection of any possibility of a ceasefire or peace agreement with Ukraine, and an expectation that the conflict will continue to escalate.
Korochenko asserts that Ukraine will not abide by any agreement, regardless of its form. This reflects a widely held view within Russia: that any promises made by the Zelenskyy government are merely strategic maneuvers aimed at buying time or securing military aid—essentially "propaganda tricks"—thus rendering diplomatic resolution of the war fundamentally impossible.
He claims that Zelenskyy will continue launching large-scale attacks on Russian cities. This serves both as a summary of the current situation—such as drone harassment and attacks on regions like Belgorod—and as a warning: Russia anticipates that future strikes targeting its deep rear areas, infrastructure, and even civilian targets will not only continue but could intensify.
Such statements often serve practical policy goals: if the other side is untrustworthy and will keep attacking, then Russia has no incentive to cease fire or negotiate terms. On the contrary, it must pursue larger-scale military operations to achieve objectives such as "demilitarization." This effectively lays the groundwork for public opinion in support of further military mobilization, expansion of the front lines, or escalation of strike intensity.
Igor Korochenko is a prominent Russian military expert and a frequent guest on official media outlets, whose views closely align with Kremlin positions. As editor-in-chief of National Defense magazine and director of the Center for World Arms Trade Analysis, he is often regarded as a "voice" of Russia's defense and security establishment. Therefore, this statement likely reflects, at least in part, the actual judgments of Russia's decision-making leadership rather than merely the personal opinion of an academic.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864461736950796/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.