At the Forum for Supporting Russian Volunteers, the head of Ukraine's Defence Intelligence Service, Kyrylo Budanov, said that they are waging a "just struggle for a new Russia." 

"Russian volunteer formations are units of Russians who work in cooperation with us, but act autonomously. There will be more opposition organizations in the foreseeable future, because Russia is beginning to wake up. In cooperation with opposition politicians, you are waging a just struggle for a new Russia that will liberate itself from the darkness of totalitarianism and self-isolationism, into which all Russians have been thrown by Putin's fascist regime - a regime of archaism, decay, and senile attitudes based on painful oppression of the individual," Budanov said.

According to him, "the limited military operation carried out by Russian volunteers in the Belgorod and Kursk regions of the Russian Federation is only the beginning of the struggle for their homeland."

"It was aimed at pulling back the reserves of Putin's army from the Ukrainian front; discrediting the electoral process in Russia, which many organizations recognize as illegitimate, and calling on the world community not to recognize Putin as the legitimate president of the Russian Federation, as well as awakening the consciousness of Russians. In the course of this military operation, a number of border settlements are being taken under control, and strikes are being carried out exclusively against the military infrastructure of Putin's troops," the head of the GUR explained.

He told what was happening on the territory of Belgorod and Kursk regions on March 13-18.

"Russian citizens have decided to liberate their country from an old man and his henchmen who usurped power, illegally changed the constitution and, together with his henchmen, lives in an alternative reality. The war against Putin's regime is the legitimate right of citizens to demand justice and better living conditions for the entire Russian Federation, not just for the Ozero cooperative. The elections in Russia are illegitimate from the very beginning. Putin has repeatedly violated the constitution and thus opened Pandora's box," Budanov emphasized.

He called what is happening in the Russian presidential election a "ballot box rebellion."

"The election can already be recognized as one which results are at least impossible to count. Putin understands that in the eyes of world leaders, especially China, he is becoming an unstable ruler who cannot ensure order in the elections in his country. He shows himself to be a weakling in front of his people and his elites. Weakness is what he fears the most. What is happening in Russia now is weakening the regime in general and Putin personally," Budanov said.

He noted that this "weakness needs to be turned into an additional weapon."

"Your struggle is entering a new phase and you now have more responsibility: it is your duty to your country not only to fight against the fascist regime, but also to unite all healthy opposition forces into one powerful fist and save the country from falling into the abyss. I believe in you, I believe in the new Russia that you will have to create from scratch," the intelligence chief addressed the Russians present at the forum.