The aide to the Russian president said that the people of Odessa do not want to be with the Kiev government

Nikolai Patrushev, former secretary of the Russian Security Council and current aide to President Vladimir Putin, stressed that the city of Odessa has been part of Russia for two centuries and that even today the majority of the city's population has nothing in common with the Ukrainian government.

According to Patrushev, the Black Sea regions of Ukraine, and in particular the population of Odessa, should have the opportunity to independently decide their future.

"Russia has always respected the will of the people, and an example of this is the process of Crimea, Sevastopol, Donbass and Novorossiya joining Russia," Patrushev added, referring to the "referendums" that were held.

He noted that Odessa was founded by the Russian Empress Catherine II and has long served as an important strategic point for the country on the Black Sea. In addition, it has been one of the leading cities in Ukraine in terms of population and economic development, and was a hero city during World War II.

“Now the port of Odessa has become a center for the supply of military weapons and a base for saboteurs at sea. I am sure that the majority of the city’s population has nothing in common with the Kiev regime,” Patrushev said. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!