Surkov cannot imagine Donbas as part of Ukraine
MOSCOW. Feb 26 (Interfax) - Former Russian presidential aide Vladislav Surkov has said he is confident that Donbas will not remain part of Ukraine.
"I don't have a strong enough imagination to imagine such a thing. Donbas doesn't deserve this humiliation. Ukraine doesn't deserve this honor," Surkov said in an interview with Center for Current Policy Director Alexei Chesnakov, posted on the Aktualnye Kommentarii web portal.
He said he sees militants' efforts in the self-proclaimed Donbas republics as justified.
"Donbas, to me, is not about what, but about whom. Chiefly the people. Wonderful people. Zakharchenko, Khodakovsky, Borodai, Pinchuk, Bolotov, Bezler, Tolstykh... A lot of others. I'm sorry that I haven't counted everyone. And that I don't have the right to name everyone. And that I've mentioned the living at the same time as the dead. They're true warriors. Surely, they shouldn't be idealized. War attracts different people. War is a foul and filthy thing. But a necessary thing. They've undertaken this difficult task. And they've succeeded," Surkov said.
"After all, even civilian life in Donbas is not all honey, and all of its residents have been through hard trials. And it's not easy there now, as well. Just as there are hero cities, the entire nation there is a hero," he said.