Medvedev Claims Kyiv is a Russian City, Lists 4 'Irrefutable Facts'

Kyiv is "simply a Russian city," where people have always spoken and thought in Russian, stated Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, on his Telegram channel. He made this comment in response to statements by Ukrainian politicians about Crimea's return to Ukraine.

Medvedev outlined four "irrefutable facts": first, Kyiv was the capital of ancient Russia; second, it was a major small Russian city as part of the Russian Empire; third, it became the republican capital during the USSR; and finally, "Kyiv is simply a Russian city where people have always thought and spoken in Russian. To make everything very clear about what and how it should be returned," Medvedev wrote.

At the end of June, the Deputy Chairman had stated that any attempt to encroach on Crimea would amount to a declaration of war against Russia. Following the explosion on the Crimean Bridge on October 8, Medvedev announced that Russians expect the "direct destruction of the terrorists" involved in the incident.

On August 23, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Kyiv would return Crimea by any means it deemed appropriate, without consultation with other countries.