The Kremlin’s spokesperson predicted a long-lasting hybrid war against Russia’s Western adversaries on Wednesday after a media report revealed he had urged colleagues to brace themselves for a “forever war” three months ago.
According to the report published by The Guardian on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warned members of Russia’s cultural and political elite at a New Year’s Eve dinner that the war would “take a very, very long time.”
When asked at a press briefing on Wednesday when the end of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could be expected, Peskov redirected the question to Russia’s Defense Ministry but offered a bleak assessment of the Kremlin’s relations with the West.
“If you mean war in a broad context, as in confrontation with hostile states, unfriendly countries, this hybrid war that has been unleashed against our country — then it’s here for a long time,” Peskov said.
“And what we need here is toughness, loyalty to ourselves, single-mindedness, and unity around the president,” he added.
Peskov claimed that President Vladimir Putin enjoyed “absolutely unprecedented” support from Russian society.
“We see an absolutely dominant conviction in our society that all the goals set for the special military operation [in Ukraine] will and must be achieved.”
The Kremlin spokesperson’s remarks come as the authorities continue to crack down on anti-war voices with draconian laws and long jail sentences that have effectively silenced dissent in Russia.