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“Russia is ready for isolation, Russia wants isolation,” he said.
“This is the image that Putin came up with during his first term in office: Russia is a rat driven into a corner. They like to have this self-image. They love when everyone is attacking them, when everyone spits on them. It gives them pleasure. This is the kind of nation with these sorts of priorities and stereotypes.”
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According to Davydiuk, this culture of grievance politics means that the Russians may look to paradoxically increase their own levels of isolation, poverty and hunger, and they will continue threaten Ukraine and the West.
“Both chemical and nuclear weapon threats will come into play,” Davydiuk believes.
“These [threats] will look quite realistic, but Ukraine should think about how to react to this, how to make sure that Russia does not use it.”
“It seems to me that Russia’s top leadership should feel this courage, which has become our our global motto. All the generals who thought they would seize Ukraine in one day dig their way out of their Russian intoxication and understand that the enemy is above their paygrade.”
