The war unleashed by Putin’s Russia against Ukraine, and indirectly against the entire Free World, does not stop. While Western leaders argue about the impossibility of allowing Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory with their long-range weapons, mockingly emphasizing that such strikes are not “the only magical way to win,” Putin has no intention of stopping. He is putting Russia on a war footing, bringing more and more manpower into the fighting and adopting a budget with huge military expenditures. There is no doubt that he intends to continue the war until he achieves his goals.
Having exhausted the resources of prisoners and mobilized in the first wave of mobilization, Putin’s regime has decided to send defendants and those under investigation to the war. But even these resources will not be enough for Putin’s victory in Ukraine, which means that his next step will be a new wave of mobilization. The economic basis for the continuation of the war will be an intensive robbery of Russian citizens through taxes and other levies. The main victims of this robbery will be Russian business and the entire economically active population of the country. The prolonged war, the lack of convincing victories in Ukraine, mass mobilizations and requisitions of the population’s assets will shake the stability of Putin’s regime and create conditions for its collapse.
In these circumstances, we, the participants of the Free Russia Forum, consider it necessary to state the following.
We steadfastly adhere to those principles that were laid down in the Forum’s earlier adopted documents. The war unleashed by Russia is criminal. Putin’s regime is illegitimate. Our goal is the victory of Ukraine and the subsequent liberation of Russia. The occupied Ukrainian territories, including Crimea, must be returned to Ukraine. The damage caused to Ukraine by the war must be repaid in full. War criminals must be brought to a fair trial and punished.
These principles, which were initially adhered to only by the Free Russia Forum, have now effectively become the common platform of the Russian opposition.
We continue to believe it is necessary to support the AFU and Russian volunteer units fighting against Putinism in Ukraine, and we call on all opposition forces to join this support not only in word but also in deed. We also recall those of our fellow citizens who have taken the path of active forceful resistance inside the country, carrying out desperate guerrilla actions against Putin’s military and its infrastructure. These people also need our support.
At the same time, the situation at the front and the course of this war in general make us appeal to the leaders of the countries of the Free World with a number of demands.
We insist that Ukraine be allowed to strike long-range Western weapons deep into Russian territory. The time for half-hearted solutions is over. A war cannot be won by fighting half-heartedly. Ukraine must be allowed to make full use of all of its available defenses.
We call on the countries of the Free World to tighten sanctions against Russian officials, individuals associated with the Russian military-industrial complex and those Russian industries working for war, as well as terrorist organizations and regimes allied with Putin in his fight against the West. Secondary sanctions have already shown their effectiveness against the behavior of Chinese and Central Asian banks. They should be strengthened to completely block the possibility of circumventing sanctions through Asian countries.
We also call for all diplomatic and political opportunities to be used to address the humanitarian problem of tens of thousands of Ukrainian citizens being held in Russian captivity in inhumane conditions. Both civilians, military personnel and children.
The frozen assets of the Russian Federation should be transferred to Ukraine to cover the damage caused by the Russian invasion.
At the same time, we appeal to the Ukrainian authorities to establish full coordination with the Russian opposition represented by the Free Russia Forum in countering Russian propaganda, developing and implementing sanctions policy, and searching for the assets of Putin’s purses and other agents of Kremlin influence in the West. We also recall our call to turn the Russian volunteer units into a full-fledged Russian Liberation Army, which would be able to operate independently (including on Russian territory) and enjoy the full confidence of the Ukrainian command. Such an opportunity has not yet been missed.
Finally, we appeal to the entire Russian opposition to stop mutual squabbles and concentrate on the really important cause – the fight against Putinism. Right now, the main nerve of this struggle runs right along the front line in Ukraine. Support Ukraine in any way you can. Support the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Russian volunteers fighting against Putin’s regime with weapons in their hands. Help those who have taken the path of forceful struggle inside Russia. By combining our efforts and resources in this direction, we will be able to make our considerable contribution to our goal – the victory of Ukraine and the liberation of Russia.
Our ultimate goal is the complete dismantling of Putin’s regime and the re-establishment of Russia on new principles, providing for the abandonment of the imperial path of development and the creation of a modern democratic state of the European type. This goal also provides for the refusal to use the symbols associated with Russian aggression against Ukraine: the Russian tricolor, the coat of arms and the anthem of Putin’s Russia. We already have our white-blue-white flag. The matter remains for the smallest thing. We call on all our like-minded people to refuse to use the symbols of Putin’s Russia and to take part in the development of the program of the structure and symbols of the future Free Russia.
The Forum Free Russia Council,
Vilnius, October 5, 2024.
