Sergei Markov

Markov has criticized historians from states formerly under Soviet occupation, claiming they distort the historical record with the documentation of events like the Katyn massacre.[12] In early May 2010, Markov demanded a "radical" change in Ukrainian textbooks about the history of Ukraine.[13] He stated Ukrainian history textbooks can not be considered an internal affair of Ukraine, as they often displayed a negative attitude to Russia.[13] On 13 May 2010, education minister of Ukraine Dmytro Tabachnyk announced that Ukraine and Russia intend to develop a common textbook for history teachers.[13]

Markov has supported the prosecution and conviction of three members of Pussy Riot, a group which he sees as part of a foreign conspiracy against Russia. In August 2012, he wrote in an editorial that: "Pussy Riot's act inside the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is not the stupidity of young girls, but part of the global conspiracy against Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church. ... According to this version [of events], Putin isn't obliged to just punish three idiots in a fatherly way, but also protect Russia from this conspiracy with all possible severity."[14]

Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Markov said that "It will not be a war against Ukraine, but to liberate Ukraine" from the pro-Western government that took power in 2014, adding that "a military operation now would prevent a wider war in future."[15] In March 2022, Markov argued that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was not a "war between Russia and Ukraine, it’s a war between Russia and (the) United States puppet who now occupy Ukraine. It’s liberation of Ukraine and it’s a proxy war of United States against Russia. We believe there’s no independent Ukrainian government and this government is wholly under the control of the United States security community."[1] Markov later admitted that the war in Ukraine was more difficult "than had been expected. It was expected that 30 to 50 percent of the Ukrainian Armed Forces would switch over to Russia’s side. No one is switching over."[16] On Russia's disastrous performance in the war, Markov said "So far the results have been appalling because Russia wasn’t at all ready".[17]

In an interview with Jason Jones aired in February 2014,[18][19] Markov stated:

There is real personal freedom in Russia. Nobody cares with whom you want to have sex. For example, you are absolutely free to make sex [sic] with this table. ... You can many times repeat to me that "it's normal" or "it's absolutely freedom" [sic], that "it's democracy", that "it's human right" [sic] for you to make sex with this table. ... Having sex between man and woman: normal. Having sex between man and man: not normal. Everybody knows this. Including gays.[18][19]

In an interview with Svenska Dagbladet, released June 8, 2014, Markov threatened that if Russia felt "backed into a corner" by Sweden and Finland joining NATO, combined with what he perceived as "Russophobia" from certain European countries, it could start World War III.[20] In an interview with BBC Radio Four on September 21, 2022, Markov speculated that Russia would use nuclear weapons 'against the UK'.[21]