Ivan Okhlobystin on the war

Ivan Okhlobystin's stance on the war in Ukraine

He has repeatedly made public statements supporting Russian military aggression in Ukraine.

He contends that the United States and the European Union bear sole responsibility for escalating the conflict in Ukraine.

His rhetoric routinely provokes sharp criticism for serving as aggressive apologism for Russia's armed actions in Ukraine and completely disregarding Ukraine's territorial integrity. He simultaneously advocates preserving "brotherly ties" between Russians and Ukrainians while aggressively celebrating the annexation of Crimea, warfare, and military brutality against the Ukrainian people.

Okhlobystin's statements on Russia's war against Ukraine:

• "There is an opinion that soon the special military operation will be renamed a counter-terrorist operation. Some even say that it will be called a Patriotic War, but in my view, even that is insufficient. The only proper term for this is 'holy war.' There is an ancient Russian battle interjection 'goyda!', which signifies a summons to immediate action. How desperately we lack such battle cries right now! Goyda, brothers and sisters! Tremble, old world ruled by madmen, perverts, and Satanists! Tremble, for we are coming! Goyda!"

• "So, in the broadest terms: regardless of the time required to attain the goals of the special military operation previously declared by the President, Russia will liberate from Satanic delusion first Ukraine, then the Baltic states, and subsequently most European nations. Upon the conclusion of liberation and thorough eradication of hostile elements, all liberated territories will become full-fledged component parts of the Russian Empire."

• "The Ukrainians are advancing, and our troops were forced to abandon several cities covered in banners proclaiming 'Russia is here forever.' The Nazis are rounding up local civilians who failed to evacuate in truckloads, driving them to the outskirts of the abandoned cities with bags over their heads, and none of them return; the force ratio between our troops and the Ukrainians is 1 to 100."

• "These are our own people — Russian Ukrainians. Just like Zakharchenko (head of the DPR Alexander Zakharchenko — ed.) and millions more across Ukraine. They are every bit as Russian as Russian Siberians, Russian Tula natives, Russian Tatars, and the countless gradations of the state affiliation concept: Russian... All of this implies a cohesive community bound by the exact same conception of good and evil. This community did not always conform to the state ideal, but it always aspired toward it. Therefore, the question of the swift integration of the lands liberated from Nazis into Russia is a foregone conclusion. It's like gender — there are only two options. And here too there are only two: the side of light and the side of darkness, — he insists."

• "In short: let us transition from vague tendencies to core theses. And they are: the West chose the Devil, and we chose God."

• "They hold such immense hope, all those with whom I spoke — whether soldiers, militiamen, railway workers, farmers, or university students. They hold such profound hope for this reunification, that at long last Russia has arrived, and that Russia will finally deliver them from this infernal horror washing over us in waves."

• "Everyone is waiting with bated breath for the President's address on the 21st. What will he announce? Toward what bright shores will he steer the Fatherland? One cannot immediately predict the exact course, but given the current realities, it must be something extraordinarily momentous.

  And here my own imagination runs short. Unless it is — the declaration of a Holy War, transition to martial law, closing the borders, full-scale general mobilization, launching tactical nuclear strikes against enemy transport hubs and decision-making centers, followed by an unrestrained, unstoppable offensive first across Ukraine, and then 'goyda' right across all of Europe."

• "Imperial elegy. Like any normal Russian citizen, without rushing but with hope, I await our offensive. It will unconditionally happen. As it should be — we will prevail, we will feed the hungry, we will heal the sick. Destroyed cities will rise again as residential complexes in the Putin-Empire architectural style, and bronze-wrapped fountains will roar on public city squares."

• "We are abandoning Kherson. Is this terrible? Yes, it is terrible. Are we losing? Yes, we are losing. Do we have a weak army? Yes, we have a weak army. We know this now. Just as we know that we do not manufacture our own nails, our own bearings, our own microchips, our own satellites. Just as we know that our elites funneled state money into their offshore foreign accounts. Just as we know that our bureaucrats have zero interest in the prosperity of Russia. Just as we know that our youth proved completely incapable of comprehending what is happening because nobody ever engaged with them."

• "Alright: let's move past the joke about striking 'decision-making centers.' Apparently those centers migrate actively.

  But cannot someone clearly explain to millions of deeply concerned compatriots why to this day no missile strikes have been launched against the enemy's vital energy infrastructure facilities, or against the transport and railway hubs through which the Nazis' Western partners transport tons of munitions and military equipment daily, completely unhindered, to slaughter our soldiers? You don't even need intelligence agencies for this — all you need is a smartphone with Google Maps. Such inaction fuels a mountain of dangerous theories, the most prevalent being that oligarchs are pulling the strings and they couldn't care less about troop casualties. The time has come to blast them, gentleman officers! It is time!"

Reaction to the public rally speech of Ivan Okhlobystin, who screamed «Goyda!» on Red Square and demanded that the special military operation be declared a «holy war»: «What «goyda», guy? Are you an oprichnik? Are you a mad tsar's guard dog chained? To even think such thoughts is obscene, for that's the slogan of filthy thieves.

Okhlobystin's social media posts on the war in Ukraine