'Crimea cannot be resolved under Putin; debating it only plays into Putin's hands.'

<blockquote>'Putin is a problem of the Russian people. We are not sitting here waiting for the U.S. to change the regime, no. We should do it ourselves. Don't make him stronger than he already is.'

- Ilya Yashin (Source, January 13, 2017)</blockquote>


'So Yashin replies these days with the best recipe for helping the Russian opposition: "Help Ukraine". If the West will keep Putin from Ukraine, this indirectly helps the opposition cause.'

<blockquote>'[Ilya Yashin] selected Russia's propaganda warfare on Ukraine as his next topic because he wanted people to know that the Kremlin is changing its strategy regarding Ukraine.

..

Asked about his attitude toward the annexation of Crimea, Yashin commented that now was not the time to resolve this issue; "Crimea cannot be resolved under Putin; debating it only plays into Putin's hands".

So when Russia changes -- in an era where Putin would step down or be forced out of office -- this issue could be resolved, and a solution could be found "in the interests of all parties". This is a formulation likely unacceptable to Ukrainian nationalists, who view the surrender of Crimea to be unconditional, and not the view even of the UN General Assembly, which voted in favor of recognizing Ukraine's sovereignty in the face of Russia's aggression.

How Can the West Help Russian Opposition? Help Ukraine

Westerners often ask Yashin "how can we help," when he travels abroad to make known the concerns of the Russian opposition. And these days, it is dangerous to attempt to fund even non-governmental groups in Russia, let alone organized opposition parties, due to the "foreign agents" law and a surge in "treason" cases.

So Yashin replies these days with the best recipe for helping the Russian opposition: "Help Ukraine". If the West will keep Putin from Ukraine, this indirectly helps the opposition cause.

..

Russia wants us to understand that "they are a force to conjure with," he said. They also want to discredit US institutions of democracy as they are a threat to Putin's power as a model just as much as a reforming Ukraine.'

- Catherine A. Fitzpatrick, Russia’s Propaganda War Against Ukraine: Interview with Russian Opposition Activist Ilya Yashin, January 31, 2017</blockquote>


Context

<blockquote>'..the greatest long-term strategic threat from Russia will emanate not from its strength, but from its weakness.'

'..Russia .. cyberpower proved the perfect weapon .. political sabotage..'

'..Russian strategy of hybrid influence and destabilization .. German Council on Foreign Relations.'</blockquote>