Nobel Peace Prize Laureate: Putin Can No Longer Claim Victory in Ukraine

Dmitry Muratov, the editor-in-chief of the now-defunct Novaya Gazeta and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, declared that Russian President Vladimir Putin can no longer claim victory in the ongoing war in Ukraine. Muratov, who co-founded the independent Russian newspaper over 30 years ago, stated in an interview with the BBC that the conflict, irrespective of its conclusion, cannot be framed as a triumph.

Novaya Gazeta was once a prominent voice for independent journalism in Russia, shedding light on human rights abuses and high-level corruption. Muratov was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for his efforts to protect freedom of expression. Tragically, six of the newspaper's journalists were killed during its operation, including Anna Politkovskaya, known for her reporting on the Chechen war.

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There will never be any 'victory,' because what has been happening for almost five years now, however it ends, cannot be treated as a victory.

Muratov auctioned his Nobel Peace Prize medal, raising funds for UNICEF's humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees. He explained that the newspaper's printing facilities were nationalized and its registration revoked by Russian authorities. While Novaya Gazeta continues to operate online, access to its website is restricted within Russia, requiring VPNs to bypass censorship.

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This cannot be a victory when two Slavic nations have torn each other to pieces, a million people. Or even more than a million.

The crackdown on Novaya Gazeta reflects a broader suppression of free speech in Russia, intensifying since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Muratov noted that hundreds of opinion formers have been labeled "foreign agents," "extremists," or "terrorists." He estimates that at least 1,500 people are currently imprisoned for opposing state policy, a figure he contrasts sharply with the KGB era.

Muratov argued that the conflict, which has become Europe's bloodiest since World War II, cannot be deemed a victory. "There will never be any 'victory,'" he stated, "because what has been happening for almost five years now, however it ends, cannot be treated as a victory." He emphasized the devastating human toll, stating, "This cannot be a victory when two Slavic nations have torn each other to pieces, a million people. Or even more than a million." He concluded that Ukraine can be destroyed but not conquered.

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It seems to me that the situation in Ukraine now is this: it can be destroyed, but it cannot be conquered.