Posted originally on CTH on March 31, 2025 | Sundance

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently (3/27/25) visited the Commander and Crew of the latest Russian nuclear submarine, the Arkhangelsk.

The Arkhangelsk is a Project 885M Yasen-M ship, the latest fourth-generation multipurpose nuclear-powered submarine capable of carrying any sea-launched missiles and effectively hitting targets both at sea and on land. The submarine was completed and delivered to the Russian Navy on December 27, 2024. “Its crew has recently completed its basic training and is now ready to carry out its duties at sea.”

President Putin’s full remarks are HERE.

♦ Could you share your assessment of the latest developments and how the special military operation has been unfolding?

Vladimir Putin: “Of course, I can.

To put it briefly, we are gradually moving towards achieving all the objectives we set for ourselves at the start of the operation. Some would have liked these advances to happen at a quicker pace, but we have gathered steady momentum and have been confidently advancing our positions. But I would like to frame this question in a different way.

What I want to say is that we were not the ones who started or launched hostilities. It all started in the wake of the 2014 coup d’etat in Ukraine. Western countries supported it, and this was how hostilities broke out in southeastern Ukraine.

We tried to resolve these issues by peaceful means for eight years. Taking Crimea and its people, as well as the people of Sevastopol under our wing was something we had to do. And we went to great lengths and were unrelenting in our efforts to resolve all matters concerning Donbass and Lugansk by peaceful means.”

“It turned out, and everyone knows this today, that both the Ukrainian authorities and their Western curators were unfortunately misleading us and trying to trick us. Former leaders who used to stand at the helm of several leading Western nations, including former President of France Hollande and Ms Merkel, the former German Chancellor, stated openly that they needed these Minsk agreements merely to deliver more weapons to the Ukrainian regime and to prepare it for a military confrontation with Russia. However, during these eight years, the people in Donbass, Lugansk and Donetsk faced outright genocide, and I mean real genocide. But the Ukrainian regime’s Western curators preferred to turn a blind eye to these developments, forcing us to try to stop the war which started in 2014 by military means. We were not the ones who started it.

By the way, even when the armed conflict escalated into open confrontation in 2022, we were still offering to settle all the outstanding issues by peaceful means. Moreover, as I have said many times, we reached an agreement with Ukraine during our talks in Istanbul. I must mention that we had an agreement on matters that are being raised all the time these days and are viewed as something impossible. I am referring to de-Nazifying and demilitarising efforts. In fact, we had a deal on these issues, and it was all set forth in the agreement, I mean its draft. Ukraine’s head negotiator initialled a summary of this document. They initialled and signed this document, which means that it was acceptable to them.

We know what happened next. After that, their European curators arrived, including former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who convinced the Ukrainian leadership to keep fighting until there are virtually no Ukrainians left and to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia.

He probably forgot that we have crews like the one you are in, and that we have means like this submarine. He probably forgot, or maybe they ignore altogether what the Russian people represent, what they stand for and what they have in their hearts and souls when it comes to ¹defending their Fatherland.

Overall, we can clearly see what is happening right now. Our troops have the strategic initiative along the entire contact line. Only recently, I said that we would squeeze them into a corner, but now we have reason to believe that we are set to finish them off. I think that people in Ukraine need to realise what is going on.

Our Armed Forces have been gathering momentum and acting increasingly effectively. Major General Mikhail Gudkov, who took part in combat action, can tell you about it.

He commands the Pacific Fleet’s 155^th Naval Infantry Brigade. I believe that this is one of the best brigades in our Armed Forces. The Defence Minister and the Chief of the General Staff believe that Major General Gudkov’s achievements must be replicated across our Armed Forces, primarily by the naval infantry units, which have been quite effective in combat. They are actually very good. It would not be an exaggeration to say that these are elite units within the Armed Forces, just like the paratroopers and the special operations units.

Although I should note that earlier today, just before arriving here, I received another report from the Chief of the General Staff. Other units of the Armed Forces have gained significant momentum.

Regarding the marines, I have already stated that they are performing superbly. Since both the Defence Minister and the Chief of the General Staff believe that your experience should be replicated across other units, I have decided to transfer you to a new position, elevating your level of responsibility. You are hereby appointed Deputy Commander of the Navy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.”

♦ Petty Officer II class Ivan Domnin. Today, the entire world’s attention is focused on the negotiations between Russia and the United States. Unexpectedly, we have begun dialogue and rapprochement with our main rival. If possible, I would like to hear first-hand about the progress and the outcomes of these talks.

Vladimir Putin: “Do not concern yourself with this; simply carry out your service and fulfil your duty. (Laughter.)

That was a joke. I understand that everyone in the world and in our country is closely following these developments.

In this regard, I would like to state – first and foremost – that, in my view, the newly elected President of the United States sincerely wishes to end this conflict for a number of reasons – I will not list them now, as they are numerous. But in my opinion, this aspiration is genuine.

It is clear that the conflict I have just mentioned and briefly characterised in terms of recent developments, remains complex and requires thorough discussion and consideration.

We stand for resolving all these issues by peaceful means, as I have just stated, reinforcing the measures we have taken from the very beginning – first, second, and third.

Therefore, we advocate resolving these issues through peaceful means, but with the elimination of the root causes that have led to the current situation. We must undoubtedly ensure Russia’s security from the long-term historical perspective. Any step taken to achieve this objective will be welcomed by us, and we will work with any partners who strive towards this goal.

This includes not only the United States but also the People’s Republic of China, India, Brazil, South Africa, all BRICS nations, and many others, such as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, with which we have a signed treaty. Article 4 of this treaty outlines in detail our mutual obligations for support. Cooperation with this country is also progressing in both military-technical and defence spheres.

We are prepared to work with Europe as well, despite their inconsistent behaviour and constant attempts to lead us up the garden path. Nevertheless, we have grown accustomed to this. I trust we will avoid making mistakes rooted in excessive trust towards our so-called partners.

But in general, they have a problem over there, which is never highlighted, just mentioned in passing. I am highlighting it. What is it? Ultranationalists have had considerable influence in Ukraine from the start, in fact, since the collapse of the Soviet Union. These people hold openly neo-Nazi views, and they even use the term in Ukraine, so we were not the ones who invented it. Curiously, few people mention this now, either.

In 2017, the United States Congress added a provision to the government spending bill that prohibited financing or having any relations with units like the Azov militia unit. An American lawmaker directly described that paramilitary group as terrorist and anti-Semitic.

Moreover, although the amendment was not supported by the Senate at that time, in a year or two, its sponsors, including the oldest member of the US Congress, supported that legislation, and it was adopted by Congress. The US Congress recognised Azov as a terrorist, anti-Semitic, and neo-Nazi organisation.

Has anything changed since then? No. Essentially, Azov has not changed. It has remained the same. However, in 2022, the State Department decided that US military aid could go to that controversial unit because it had been integrated into the Armed Forces of Ukraine – apparently, the bill allowed this interpretation. The fact that it was integrated into the official armed forces changed nothing. Their views and actions remained the same as they were at the start.

If anything, it has become worse, because now they plan to strengthen these units, including Azov, and elevate them to divisions. This means that such people now have even more weapons at their disposal. They have more supporters, people they have persuaded to fight for them by implanting their views.

What happens next? As a result, the current civil authorities in Ukraine have no legitimacy in accordance with the country’s constitution. Ukraine has held no presidential election, while according to the constitution, all key officials are to be appointed by the president, including regional government bodies, governors and so on. So, if the president is illegitimate, so are all the others.

So, under these circumstances of de facto illegitimacy, neo-Nazi formations receive additional weapons and recruit new personnel. What does this lead to, what could it lead to? It results in de facto power being in their hands. This, in turn, means that it is already unclear with whom to sign documents and what effect such documents might carry, for tomorrow new leaders may come to power through elections and declare: “We do not know who signed those papers, so goodbye.”

The issue is not just this uncertainty; it is that these neo-Nazi formations, such as Azov, among others, are effectively beginning to run the country. This raises the question: how is it possible to conduct negotiations with them?

In such situations, international practice follows a well-established path. Within the framework of the United Nations peacekeeping operations, there have been several cases of what is termed external governance or temporary administration. This occurred in East Timor, I believe in 1999, in parts of the former Yugoslavia, and in New Guinea. In short, such precedents exist.

In principle, it would indeed be possible to discuss, under UN auspices with the United States and even European countries – and certainly with our partners and allies – the possibility of establishing a temporary administration in Ukraine. To what end? To conduct democratic elections, to bring to power a competent government that enjoys public trust, and only then to begin negotiations on a peace treaty and sign legitimate agreements that would be recognised worldwide as consistent and reliable.

This is just one option; I do not claim that others do not exist. They certainly do. At present, there is no opportunity – and perhaps no possibility – to lay out every detail, as the situation is evolving rapidly. But this remains a viable option, and such precedents exist within UN practice, as I have already noted.

Ultimately, we advocate for the resolution of all conflicts, including this one, through peaceful means. But not at our expense.”  (Full Remarks)

Factually, a civil war was ongoing in Ukraine for well over a decade. NATO exploited that civil war to create a U.S. proxy war against Russia.  Zelenskyy is not negotiating for peace; he’s buying time against what Trump wants to do.

He’s buying time for the EU/UK and corrupt NATO interests to organize a separate funding mechanism for continuation of war. The UK/France have promised to provide the intel service. The EU/UK now need to organize the funding mechanisms. They are doing it currently.

A generally belligerent Volodymyr Zelensky, who will not accept any terms for negotiated peace (so far), continues playing the victim and saying Russia is violating terms needed for peace.   NATO and the EU alliance continue telling Zelensky to keep fighting; Zelensky rejects anything that stops the fighting; NATO and the EU alliance continue demanding that President Trump support Zelensky.  That’s the current cycle.

Putin knows the game, that’s why he is keeping up the offensive action.

At some point in this great game of ‘ceasefire’ pretense, President Trump is going to cut the gordian knot.

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[¹After spending three months in Russia last year, I penned a review of my experience.  Many “Russian experts” took exception to my use of the term “fatherland” calling it the wrong gender to describe the modern relationship between the Russian Federation government and the citizens therein. – SEE HERE – Please note, the USSR system no longer exists and as President Putin factually describes it, I was correct.]