Why did Putin go to Crimea again: “5 questions” with journalist Tatiana Martynova

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has once again visited the occupied Crimea. The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine has already responded with a note of protest.

What is the purpose of the Kremlin leader’s trips to the peninsula – told journalist, Belarusian oppositionist Tetiana Martynova in the program “5 questions” on UA TV channel.

Oleh Borysov hosts the program.

– Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited Crimea again. What is the purpose of such visits of Putin to the occupied peninsula?

– There are two very important points. What the government does to maintain power – remains inside this government. And there is what the government is doing publicly to send messages, again, to maintain its power and push into people’s heads what they need.

We are in the media war. So far, they are firing only in Donbas. There is no shooting in Crimea or Belarus, but that does not mean that there is no war there. It is. Everyone fights by their own methods. Putin’s method of war is such urino-ophthalmology. He has to sneeze at the international community, he has to sneeze at people in general. It is important for him to capture other people’s territories, and to show publicly in every possible way that it is mine. Children usually go through this at the age of three, this is the age of “mine-mine”. And then their parents bring up so that they understand that it is necessary to respect other children, not to take away toys. Putin apparently remained mentally at that age.

– Does this mean that support for Putin is falling even among the pro-Russian electorate in Crimea?

– I can’t answer for Crimeans. I usually try to be responsible for my people. I believe that, based on Putin’s behavior – if you look at the Belarusians and what he has been doing with our country in recent years – there can be no question of any trust or rating. Moreover, Belarusians have never had such strong hatred for Putin. What is happening with us now is what happened with you in 2013-14, when many people did not consider Russia an enemy at first, and then once again the war between Ukraine and Russia, which Russian propaganda channels tried to present as civil.

Although it is clear that civilians were also involved in it. It is the same if the Russians are at war with the Ukrainians from the territory of Belarus, then some part of the Belarusian military, who dream of Russian pensions and buns, will also get involved in this war. But this does not mean that Belarus is at war with Ukraine.

We see that the border with Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine is not calm. And on the Polish border provocations are almost daily. Then they shoot, then stones fly, then troops are used by the Belarusian side, and this is a very serious story. It just won’t end easy.

– As for Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko wanted to go to Crimea with Putin, but the Russian leader did not invite him. Why, in your opinion?

– What Lukashenko does and says – everyone is trying to find logic there. There is no logic. There are no pills to help. Depending on the situation and what shoots him in the head, he says.

But strategically, this will be the last thing Lukashenko will do – directly recognize Crimea as Russian. This will mean for him a complete rupture of economic relations with Ukraine. And in this case, not only Ukraine is interested in Belarusian fuel. And Lukashenko is interested, because it is 4 billion in turnover.

Putin is annoyed that Lukashenko continues to trade with Ukraine. Because if you put a cross on him here, then everything, the last window closes.

Read also: “Gross violation of international law” – Chubarov on Putin’s visit to the occupied Crimea