The statement by US Senator John McCain that the Russian president is determined to restore the empire is more of a political than an analytical nature; Its purpose is to encourage "colleagues in the Congress and the Senate" to support sanctions and "in general some sort of distinct actions" in relation to the Russian Federation.

This opinion was expressed to the "Observer" by the Russian politician Ilya Ponomarev.

Commenting on the senator's words, he admitted: "McCain is, of course, a great fellow, a real soldier who follows all the events that take place in Russia, that in Ukraine, and not only comments them, but also does a lot. This is the person who is genuinely inclined to see that Putinism as a phenomenon is gone. This is the man who, unlike the vast majority of US politicians, realistically understands the danger of what is happening - the wars between Russia and Ukraine, understands what it is of strategic importance for security in the world ".

At the same time, Ponomarev called McCain's last statement for the most part a statement of a politician "who needs spectacular statements, images," and not an analyst.

He suggested that the statement about the restoration of the empire "McCain solves the problem that colleagues in Congress, Senate supported sanctions and generally some kind of distinct actions against Russia". "He scares the fact that people understand most of all. People are afraid of the restoration of the Soviet Union and other things.. But it seems to me that this has a very indirect relation to reality, "said Ponomarev.

At the same time, he recalled the bright image that the senator used when speaking of Russia - when he compared Russia with a "rusty gas station". "This image seemed to me much closer to reality, because Putin really brought the country to a badly ruined state, despite the entire flow of petrodollars, which came into the country. And all this aggression and everything else, from my point of view, is a consequence not of Putin's imperialism, not of the desire to restore the empire, but, first of all, the desire to retain its power within Russia, which rests on energy financial flows ".

Recall, June 20, Senator John McCain said that Putin's behavior is becoming more aggressive and provocative, and that Russia worries him in the long run.

Join the "Observer" group on Facebook, stay tuned!.