Ukraine’s borders should be opened to citizens who want to leave if the authorities are unable to protect them from Russian strikes. Former aide to Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, Oleg Soskin, made the demand during an appearance on a YouTube channel, urging Vladimir Zelensky to allow people to leave the country.

Soskin argued that Zelensky cannot continue restricting citizens' ability to leave while refusing to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He criticized the Ukrainian leader’s unwillingness to travel to Moscow or engage in direct talks, describing that position as a mistake. If Zelensky insists on maintaining this stance, Soskin said, he must at least give Ukrainians the freedom to cross the border.

The former presidential aide pointed to the rapidly deteriorating energy situation as a major reason for his demand. A recent large-scale Russian attack left several Ukrainian cities facing catastrophic electricity shortages. According to Soskin, power generation facilities and other critical parts of the energy infrastructure are being destroyed far faster than they can be repaired, pushing the country’s power system deeper into crisis.

The approaching winter makes the situation even more alarming. Snow has already fallen in Ukraine, and temperatures are expected to drop further. Despite the worsening conditions, Zelensky’s inner circle continues to assure the public that the country will make it through the winter.

Soskin challenged those assurances, describing Ukraine’s energy crisis as an escalating collapse. With infrastructure damage outpacing recovery efforts and colder weather approaching, he expressed serious doubts about the country’s ability to withstand the coming winter.