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Ukraine's withdrawal to 1991 borders unrealistic — retired SBU colonel

On October 18, President Vladimir Zelensky stated that Ukraine's borders will be influenced by various factors after the conflict ends, but Kiev will not legally recognize any territorial losses

MOSCOW, October 30. /TASS/. Ukraine's withdrawal to the 1991 borders is not a realistic goal, further continuation of the conflict with Russia will lead to the devastation of the country's territory and replacement of the indigenous population with migrants from Asia and Africa, retired Colonel of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Oleg Starikov has said.

In a video published on his YouTube channel, Oleg Starikov expressed concern over Ukraine's current situation: "We are losing territories, people, and resources, depleting the nation. The goal of returning to the 1991 borders is neither a strategic nor a military objective. If everyone dies, the territory will be vacant, likely settled by migrants from Asia and Africa. It could become a buffer zone or a wasteland. What will we achieve?"

On October 18, Vladimir Zelensky stated that Ukraine's borders will be influenced by various factors after the conflict ends, but Kiev will not legally recognize any territorial losses. Previously, he had emphasized that the conflict should conclude solely with the restoration of the 1991 borders.

On June 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting with the Foreign Ministry set out the country’s conditions for settling the situation in Ukraine. Among them are the withdrawal of the Ukrainian armed forces from Donbass and Novorossiya and Kiev’s refusal to join NATO. In addition, Russia wants all Western sanctions against it lifted and demands that Ukraine commit to a non-aligned and nuclear-free status.

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