Buterin Slams 'Criminal Aggression', Urges Russian Opposition to Rethink Strategy

Russian-born Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum (ETH), has taken a firm pro-Ukraine stance ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. In a lengthy post on X, Buterin declared unequivocal support for Kyiv and called the war 'criminal aggression.'

He rejected two common justifications for the invasion: Russia's claimed right to prevent NATO expansion near its borders and the argument that Russian-speaking populations in Crimea and Donbas had a democratic right to join Russia. Buterin acknowledged Western nations' mistakes in the 1990s and 2000s, but argued these grievances cannot justify what happened in 2022.

He cited specific events as evidence of the war's aims going beyond protecting Donbas: the attack on Mariupol theater, killings in Bucha, strikes on hospitals, and what he called 'human safari' in Kherson over the past three years. Buterin also referenced an article by state news agency RIA Novosti in February 2022, which revealed Russia's true intentions when it believed it had already won.

He credited U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance with inadvertently exposing Russian President Vladimir Putin's unwillingness to negotiate, saying their actions made clear who bears responsibility for the war's continuation. Buterin emphasized the importance of calling evil by its name in both politics and the crypto industry.