Medvedev’s stance: Russia needs to crackdown on Ukraine supporters

Since Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has emerged as a vocal pro-war Kremlin figure. In June 2024, he publicly called for Russia to adopt a more aggressive stance against the West in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Medvedev has previously threatened everything from nuclear war to a wider war with the West. However, the comments he made on social media on June 8th were some of the most concerning he had made since the invasion of Ukraine began.  

Before looking at what Medvedev wrote, it's important to understand that he still plays a very important role in the Russian government as Deputy Chairmen of the Security Council of Russia, which means his words carry a bit of weight. 

Medvedev vowed Russia would be “more ruthless and deadly” towards the international organizations supporting Kyiv in its fight against Moscow—including organizations such as the International Criminal Court and George Soros’ ​​Open Society Foundations. 

George Soros is a Hungarian-American billionaire hedge fund manager who Newsweek noted has been critical of the war in Ukraine. In February 2023. Soros told an audience at the Munich Security Conference: "Europe's support for Ukraine must be preserved."

Newsweek also noted the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin in 2023 for allegedly committing the war crime of illegally deporting children from Russia to Ukraine, a point Medvedev was likely alluding to in his remarks. 

“How great it feels to receive acknowledgment of the effectiveness of our combined effort against the neonazi regime in Kiev! It came from bast***ly organizations such as NGOs belonging to the disgusting old geezer Soros, who turned to the ICC over our humble work," Medvedev wrote on X in jest. 

“Such NGOs and their masters are accomplices of the terrorists who killed more than 20 of our peaceful citizens just yesterday,” Medvedev continued, referencing the deaths of people in Kherson and Luhansk that occurred on June 7th. 

Russia blamed Kyiv for the death of 25 and injury of 35 in the Russian-occupied regions following what it said resulted from a series of missile strikes from Ukraine according to Newsweek. But the former Russian President didn’t stop there. 

“That really motivates to keep up working against the foul nazi clique. We will be even angrier, even more ruthless and deadly while exposing all kinds of a******* and c**** of the bandera regime and their patrons,” Medvedev explained. “Igni atque ferro vastare.”

Medvedev's comments made clear that he was angry about the perceived slight coming from the international organizations supporting Ukraine but a little context for his remark is needed to understand the full impact of his words. 

MEdvedev's Bandera regime comment was a reference to Stepan Bandera, the leader of an organization known as the Ukrainian Nationalists during World War II according to Newsweek. Bandera was a divisive figure seen by some as a freedom fighter while others as a Nazi ally. 

“Bandera is employed in Russian propaganda and Putin has used it to justify his February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, claiming that Moscow needed to ‘denazify’ Kyiv,” explained Newsweek’s Rachel Dobkin. 

On June 10th, Medvedev took to X again to comment on the results of the election in Europe where he again referenced Russia’s Bandera sentiment to provide his opinion on the outcome of the elections for France and Germany. 

“Well, well, respected by no one Macron and Scholtz, have you seen the EU parliament elections results? “ Medvedev began. “They come as a reflection of your inept policy of providing support to the bandera authorities in the f.”

“Ukraine at the cost of your own citizens, your idiotic economic and migration policy! Wait and see what comes next! Time to retire. To the ash heap of history!” Medvedev concluded in a post that again revealed his lack of public decorum. 

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