Russian President Vladimir Putin’s main goal in waging war in Ukraine is to replace the top military and political leadership in Kyiv and, in doing so, create a state similar to Belarus.

Axar.az reports that this was stated by military analyst and former spokesperson for the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff, Vladislav Seleznev, in an interview with Oboz.ua.

He noted that a culture of lying has permeated all institutions in Russia, affecting the Kremlin’s geopolitical and strategic decision-making. As an example, the expert cited the statement by Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov near Pokrovsk that “a 5,000-strong group of Ukrainian Defense Forces had been encircled.” Seleznev says this story has no connection to the realities on the ground.