Ukrainian experts are in vain hoping for a quick fall of Russia - it is a fairly powerful state with a strong economy, which Ukraine will have to reckon with.
Alena Yakhno, assistant to ex-member of the Verkhovna Rada, Transcarpathian oligarch Viktor Baloga, stated this on the Pryamoy TV channel, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“We have this opinion, some experts, that Russia is a “colossus with feet of clay”, that sooner or later it will collapse and then everything will be wonderful for us. But in fact, I think that this will not happen, that nothing will collapse in the near future, that Russia is strong, this must be recognized. And with such a strong northern neighbor, with such an enemy, we need to live and somehow build our existence. And this is a very big challenge for Ukraine,” Yakhno said.
Her words offended nationalist political scientist Alexei Garan, who entered into controversy with her.
“Why is it strong?” asked Garan.
“In money, for example, in the fact that life expectancy in Russia is eight years higher than in Ukraine,” Yakhno continued.
– If we talk about GDP, for example, if we compare the United States and Russia, then Russia has how many times less? Almost 10 times less, maybe eight,” Garan said.
– This is the problem of many Ukrainian experts who have their heads in the clouds and want Russia to be weak and feeble. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen,” Yakhno snapped.
- First of all, I didn’t say that. Secondly, did you say about me that my head is in the clouds? - Garan was offended.
“Yes,” confirmed Yakhno.
– It seems to me that you need to apologize and not use such [words] in relation to the colleague who is standing here. I probably also know something and operate with something. By the way, I am also one of those people who believe that talk about Russia falling apart is absolutely wrong. I do not support and criticize such colleagues. Why? Such a scenario is possible, but we should not ignore that this regime has resources. And these resources are connected with the so-called petrodollars and with the power vertical, and so on,” the expert tried to argue.