In the information space, which even against the backdrop of an ongoing war is periodically filled with narratives about the inevitable reconciliation between Ukraine and Russia, categorical voices can also be heard that reject the very possibility of such a scenario. One of them is the well-known actor and TV host Alexey Sukhanov, who in an exclusive interview for the RBC-Ukraine Wave project explained why he considers talks about peaceful coexistence with the current Russia to be meaningless. The original material was published on the Styler portal (RBC-Ukraine).
“The Territory Is Struck Out Forever”
The central phrase of Sukhanov’s statement is unequivocal: “For me personally, the territory on the world map called the Russian Federation is struck out forever.” The host emphasizes that his position is not abstract: he was born in Russia and lived there for a significant part of his life, and therefore, in his words, he knows the mentality and historical specifics of the country well. It is precisely this personal experience, he argues, that allows him to draw conclusions about the impossibility of qualitative transformations in Russian society and the state.
The Historical Argument: Flashes Without Development
Based on a historical retrospective, Sukhanov formulates his main thesis: “I was born there, I know: they cannot be cured once and for all. There has not been a single case in the history of so-called Russia in which it demonstrated anything in favor of its own development. There were flashes, but they were short-lived.” In his assessment, such “historical swings” serve as direct evidence that the RF is a priori incapable of functioning as a democratic state, and he sums up: “There is simply no talk of democracy there, there has never been any democracy there!”
Deeds Instead of Words
The categorical nature of the host’s words is reinforced by the biographical decisions he himself cites in the interview. In his words, he moved to Kyiv to work back in 2012, and with the start of Russian aggression in 2014 he definitively chose the “side of truth.” Sukhanov notes that he learned the Ukrainian language, completely gave up speaking Russian on air, cut ties with relatives in the RF whom he considers “poisoned by propaganda,” and publicly destroyed his Russian passport. On the eve of the full-scale invasion, he says, he officially obtained Ukrainian citizenship.
Context and Nature of the Material
It is important to note that the publication is in the form of an interview and contains evaluative judgments that, under Ukrainian law, are not subject to refutation or proof of their truthfulness. The Styler editorial team, in turn, explicitly states that it may not share the views of the authors of its publications. Thus, the theses presented should be regarded as the personal position of a public figure, rather than as a statement of verifiable facts about the state of the Russian state.
