Putin’s former adviser described how Ukraine could repel Russian aggression

“Ukraine must withstand Russia’s aggression in the Crimea and Donbas on its own, without waiting for help from others, like small Finland in 1939 resisted the vast USSR,” said a senior researcher at the Cato Institute in Washington, a former economic adviser of the Russian President (2003-2005) Andriy Illarionov, writes Segodnia.ua.

“If Ukraine does not resist on its own, no one will help it. In this cynical world, those who do not fight alone are not helped. This is not a guarantee that they will help, this is a chance. Moreover, many will refuse because of the lack of resistance deprives other countries of direct or indirect assistance. That is why many people are interested in Ukraine not resisting. But not Ukraine itself,” the expert stressed.

He recalled that in 1939 when the Soviet Union invaded Finland, the Finns were not supported by anyone, they resisted alone. “And if we compare the ratio of the military, the economic, demographic potential of Finland and the USSR in 1939 with the current ratio of the potential of Ukraine and Russia, the comparison will be in favor of Ukraine. There are many more opportunities for resistance in Ukraine today. Ukraine has real allies. The situation in Ukraine today is incomparably better than in Finland in 1939. It remains a matter of small, but the most important – the desire and willingness to resist aggression,” – said Illarionov.

Natalia Tolub