Nobel laureate Muratov says Putin cannot claim victory in Ukraine

In an exclusive interview with BBC correspondent Steve Rosenberg, Nobel‑prize‑winning journalist Dmitry Muratov, editor‑in‑chief of the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s objective in the conflict can only be to “destroy Ukraine, not conquer it.” Muratov made the remark as the war entered its fifth year, emphasizing that the sustained military campaign has failed to achieve any territorial annexation beyond the limited regions seized in 2022.

Muratov, who has been a vocal critic of the Kremlin’s policies and faced repeated legal pressure, argued that the ongoing devastation underscores a strategic impasse for Moscow, with the conflict inflicting widespread humanitarian and economic damage without delivering a decisive victory. He warned that the continued aggression threatens regional stability and calls into question Russia’s long‑term security objectives. The interview highlights growing dissent among prominent Russian figures regarding the war’s purpose and its broader implications for international relations.