Kathrine Frich
The Russian-born tech entrepreneur described the conflict as a deliberate act of aggression
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has delivered one of his strongest public condemnations of the war.
In remarks summarised by Meduza, the Russian-born tech entrepreneur described the conflict as a deliberate act of aggression and voiced clear support for Kyiv.
Clear stance
“It will soon be four years since the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” Buterin said on February 12.
Born in Russia and raised in Canada, he said he had long followed Russian politics online and once sent bitcoin to opposition leader Alexei Navalny, though he avoided deep political involvement.
“I support Ukraine. This war is a criminal aggression, not a ‘complex situation where both sides behaved badly’,” he said.
He rejected arguments that Russia was denied integration into the democratic world after the 1990s, stating that NATO expansion followed fears triggered by Moscow’s military actions.
Criticism of Kremlin
Buterin accused the Russian leadership of widening the conflict beyond its stated goals.
“Putin said he wanted to defend Donbas, but he attacked the whole of Ukraine. The Russian Federation army is attacking humanitarian targets. The Ukrainian army is not attacking civilians, but war infrastructure,” he said.
He also criticised US political figures, saying, “Trump and Vance are acting like pigs, but they gave Putin a chance to accept peace and look like a hero. But he didn’t take advantage of it.”
Buterin argued that any lasting peace must involve Russian society rather than solely its leadership.
Harsh words
His sharpest remarks were directed personally at President Vladimir Putin.
“Putin is the devil, and the Russian people are neither angel nor devil. Putin can only be helped to jump off a balcony,” he said.
He added that in the long term, security for Ukraine depends on a Russia that no longer threatens its neighbours. “In the short term, Ukraine needs help to achieve a ceasefire. Only then can it think about what comes after Putin.”
Buterin also spoke of a future Russia built on decentralised political ideas, though he acknowledged the difficulty of envisioning that future while the war continues.
Sources: Digi24, Meduza
