Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Secretary, Lelexiy Danilov, has issued a warning that Vladimir Putin's Russia is on the brink of total collapse. He urged the West to be on high alert for the imminent collapse of the Soviet Union, which could lead to new security challenges.
Danilov also warned that China currently holds the upper hand over Russia and could take territory in Russia if allowed by Western powers.
"If we allow China to take territory in Russia, it will create a new grave problem," said Danilov.
The top Ukrainian official spoke as Finland officially joined NATO today, securing its place in the Western alliance. The move is seen as another step towards countering Russian aggression in Europe.
Danilov went further with his suggestions for combating Russian aggression by calling for renaming Sevastopol. It is Crimea’s main port city where Moscow-appointed officials have been accused of human rights violations against ethnic Ukrainians since occupying it in 2014.
He suggested prosecuting Ukrainians who worked under this administration and nullifying any real estate deals made under Russian rule.
The situation between Ukraine and Russia has been tense following illegal annexation of Crimea by Moscow seven years ago. There has also been an ongoing conflict between Ukrainian government troops and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine since 2014 resulting in thousands dead or injured people from both sides.
The comments made by Danilov are significant given his position within Ukraine’s national security apparatus. The warning about Putin’s regime falling apart comes amid growing concerns about how far-reaching their influence might be beyond just regional areas like Eastern Europe but globally too – particularly when considering its ties with other authoritarian regimes around Asia such as North Korea or Iran which have similar reputations for destabilizing activities abroad.