Dmitry Medvedev, a long-term ally of Vladimir Putin who is currently deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, has posted this morning to Telegram a message which gives some insight into the current state of senior level Russian thinking about the situation in Ukraine.
In the message, Medvedev questions a Ukrainian request that it receive energy imports this winter with an option to delay payment for two years. Medvedev says:
Just a question. Who said that in two years Ukraine will even exist on the world map?