This information is disseminated by pro-Russian media. They argue that reaching the 1991 borders is an impossible goal. Even President Zelenskyi is now supposedly beginning to think about the reality of victory. In the corresponding “news”, the Kremlin media refers to Ukrainian political scientist Konstiantyn Bondarenko.

In fact, this information is not true. This is written about in the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security. During a press conference on December 19, 2023, Zelenskyi stated that “the strategy cannot be changed, according to our Constitution - these are all our territories”. In a December interview of the same year for The Economist, the President of Ukraine also emphasized that only after the Russian army leaves the 1991 borders will it be possible to transfer the war from a military path to a diplomatic one.

It can be argued that statements about “Zelenskyi’s despondency” are just Bondarenko’s personal speculations, not supported by real facts. The political scientist himself has a rather dubious reputation. In 2021, he collaborated with the pro-Russian blogger Anatolii Sharii, recording a series of lectures in Russian about the OUN, UPA and Ukrainian nationalism for one of his YouTube channels. In addition, already on the eve of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he collaborated with the Russian propaganda online publication Ukraina.ru. Previously, we denied information that EU countries are seeking to take control of part of Ukrainian territories.