Host Sergiy Sternenko interviewed Vitaliy Portnikov, focusing on the main threats to Ukraine during the war with Russia. Special attention was paid to the resumption of Russian air attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Portnikov emphasized that Russia’s main goal is to deprive the country of light and heat in winter and to encourage part of the population to leave, thereby weakening Ukraine's demographic potential.
The discussion covered the effectiveness of strikes on Russian energy infrastructure in response. According to Portnikov, attacks that do not deprive Russia of its military-industrial capacity have limited value. The main target should be military industry facilities and oil refineries, not just moral-psychological pressure on civilians.
The impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on Europe and Russia’s aggressive actions against NATO countries were analyzed. It was noted that such hybrid attacks may lead to increased European militarization and greater support for Ukraine. The potential collapse of Russia due to weakening influence was also discussed.
Portnikov assessed whether the war could have been avoided after Ukraine regained independence in 1991, stressing that Russia has always sought to integrate Ukraine into its sphere of influence. According to him, the Maidans were the only way to preserve Ukrainian sovereignty. He sees Ukraine’s success in strengthening national identity and societal unity.
