By Edvard Chesnokov
Dmitry Kuznetsov is a member of the State Duma (the Russian Parliament) from the SRZP (A Just Russia — For Truth) party. Along with his party fellow, a famous Russian writer Zakhar Prilepin, Kuznetsov stands for Eurasianism and establishing a united anti-American front between Moscow, Ankara, Tehran, Beijing, Pyongyang and other non-western actors.
Exclusively to UWI, Dmitry Kuznetsov spoke about the recent actions of ZSU (the Armed forces of Ukraine) which has occupied the south-western parts of the Kursk region, an internationally-recognized territory of Russia.
How do you estimate the August 2024 Ukrainian offensive against the Kursk region?
It is a Ukrainian attempt to spin the warfare course. (Meaning that in the last two years Ukraine has lost the notable parts of its four regions: the Lugansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporozhye territories, and so far, nothing indicates that Kiev could regain its losses — ed.)
What are Russia’s plans, when is it going to expel the Ukrainians from the Kursk region?
I am not devoted to the plans of our Armed Forces General Staff. From my viewpoint, it would be better for us to surround and to capture the Ukrainian divisions that have invaded the Kursk region — rather than to expel them. And then, it would be great to subsequently enter the Sumy region (a neighboring territory of Ukraine — UWI.) as a part of such a hypothetical operation. In my view, it is necessary to create a safety zone alongside the Russian border to protect our civilians from ZSU’s artillery and drone attacks. But what would be the real plan, it is hard to say now.
Therefore, a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine is entirely out of the agenda?
I don’t think so. I still trust the opinion of my respectable brother Apti Alaudinov (a famous media figure in Russia and a victorious Chechen military commander — UWI.) who has repeatedly said that the military actions might have been ended ‘before the upcoming New Year’. It might not have been called ‘a peace settlement’, but at least the warfare would stop.
On the other hand, we see that every time — just before the peace negotiations are about to start — something happens. For Ukraine, invading Kursk is apparently the last chance to improve its position at the negotiation table — because the last months for Ukraine, everything was sad at the Donbass front (the Russian forces are permanently advancing in Donbass, having captured more territory Ukraine has occupied during its touted 2023 counter-offensive — UWI.).
On the contrary, what does Ukraine expect from its Kursk operation?
I’ve already partially answered. I think ZSU tries to ‘turn the chess desk over’ thanks to its qualities such as adventurism, ability to move proactively, rapidness, and unpredictability. In other words, it could be Ukraine’s last strike before the negotiations. The result depends on Ukraine’s remaining forces. In one view, Kyiv has gathered and used all its reserves in a last-hope blow. In another view, Kursk is just a distraction, while in reality ZSU is planning to strike at the South as in 2023. Here, I do not possess all the information.
This year, we see almost simultaneous provocations against Russia and Iran. Are both pre-planned?
Of course, this low-intensity world war has begun a long time ago. The West does not want to lose its leadership and its hegemony. Russia and Iran are ‘a stick in the craw’ for the West. At a large-scale vision, we are able to realize that all the world actors can have some joint plans to act against their adversaries on the other side.
Can Russia and Iran use such a joint strategy against provocations of the West (and Israel, if we speak about Palestine and West Asia)?
Obviously, we need a connection to make the world more just and fairer. Everybody who stands against the Western hegemony and for sovereignty of the nations must unite, including Russia, Türkiye, Iran, and the rest of the world’s majority. Every nation deserves a world accounting for its interests.