The war with Ukraine was started and is being waged, of course, by Putin, trying to solve his domestic political problems. But the ultimate responsibility for the war falls on the whole of the Russian elite and its system of power itself — an endlessly self-reproducing, imperialist Russian authoritarianism. International aggression in any form, from diplomatic rhetoric to outright warfare, is its preferred mode of operation, and Ukraine is its preferred target. This self-perpetuating imperial authoritarianism is the real curse of Russia and the cause of all its problems.

What to do with Russia after this war must become the central question — not just one element among others — for those who work towards peace.

No long-term peace plans can be meaningful if the ultimate source of the problems is allowed to continue creating them. Russia must cease to be an instigator of aggression and instability. This is possible, and nothing less than this should be seen as a true strategic victory in this war.

The model for a future Russia is not “strong power” and a “firm hand”, but rapprochement, compromise, and consideration of the interests of the global society of which it is part. Russia must become a parliamentary republic. This is the only way to stop its endless cycle of imperial authoritarianism.

This mobilization is a crime against my country... That’s exactly how I see it, and I won’t stay silent. I hope that everyone else who hears me will also refuse to stay silent. Because what’s happening now is much more terrible than any 12 or 112 days in the punishment cell. This is a historic crime. This is turning hundreds of thousands of people into accomplices to the crimes that Putin is committing. He’s just like the mafia, you see? He’s staining the hands of hundreds of thousands of people with blood. With this mobilization, and with these fake referendums.

I consider the people who started this war to be bandits and thieves. The fact that they are already bombing people in order to keep stealing shows that I was absolutely right to create the ACF back in 2011 to fight against this thieving criminal regime.

Everything has a price, and now, in the spring of 2022, we must pay that price. No one else will. It’s not enough to just ‘be’ against the war. Let’s fight against the war.

Putin is without a doubt the wealthiest person in the world. The source of his wealth is power and corruption. And the basis of his power is lies, propaganda and falsified election results. You want to influence Putin, then influence his personal wealth. It’s right under your backside. Everybody knows the names of the oligarchs and friends of Putin who hold his money. We know those who finance his yachts and palaces. Those who support his second and third families. It takes a majority of these oligarchs to split Putin’s elites. Give them a signal that the regime in Russia today will not be an eternal paradise where they can rob the people inside Russia while easily and freely spending their earnings in Europe and the U.S.

Not only did I survive and refuse to run and hide, I also actively participated in the investigation of my own poisoning. And we found and proved that it was indeed Putin, with the help of the Federal Security Service, who carried out this assassination attempt. And I wasn’t the only target. Now we know it, and many more will learn it. And this is what drives the little thieving man, sitting there in his bunker, crazy: the fact that everything has been exposed. His approval rating, his tremendous support — all of that is gone. Because it has become clear: in order to deal with a political opponent who has no TV access or political party, he resorted to attempted murder with chemical weapons. And, of course, this is driving him mad. Because everyone has realized that he’s merely a bureaucrat who ended up in the presidential seat through no merit of his own, without ever participating in a real debate or a free election. And the only means of competition that he can come up with is trying to kill people.

Russia must return to the ideal of a peaceful country and use this peacefulness to ensure its economic growth. External aggression, territorial disputes, and hybrid wars are simply the means by which a bunch of corrupt elites tries to stay in power.

The only ones who need this war are those who want to profit off of it. It doesn’t matter how: with money, titles, medals, or propping up the regime’s ego. Regular people don’t need it.

No war.