The State Duma criticized the proposal to use Ukraine as a testing ground for the West

The Ukrainian authorities are selling the country whole and in parts, said Alexei Zhuravlev, deputy of the State Duma, First Deputy Chairman of the Defense Committee. He told Izvestia about this on April 9, commenting on the proposal of Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Valery Churkin to use the country as a testing ground for Western weapons.

Churkin voiced this idea the day before at the Estonian-Ukrainian defense industry forum in Kiev, according to information from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.

"There is no limit to the fall of the Kiev regime, which has already deprived the country of sovereignty and is going to [deprive] of minerals. All this is solely for the sake of personal enrichment, because there is a great chance to stick to Western cash flows. And also in order to maintain his high position in the Ukrainian hierarchy," Zhuravlev stressed.

The MP suggested that as soon as Kiev stops fighting with Moscow, the Ukrainian side will no longer receive any Western assistance.

"So they're trying their best, selling their homeland whole and in parts," he added.

World champions from Europe: Moscow warned against deploying troops in Ukraine

What conflict resolution mechanisms can be acceptable to Russia?

Earlier, on April 3, the Financial Times newspaper, citing EU officials, reported that European countries are considering the possibility of using NATO command structures when deploying peacekeeping forces in Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted during a press conference that any foreign military presence in Ukraine, regardless of the flag, signage and declared mandates, would be considered a threat to the Russian Federation and would lead to conflict.