Ukraine heading for collapse into several states: Vladimir Putin's ally

The comments from Nikolai Patrushev, the secretary of Russia's Security Council, appeared to be an attempt to blame the United States for any division of Ukraine that emerges from the conflict

One of President Vladimir Putin's closest allies said on Tuesday that Ukraine was spiralling towards a collapse into several states because of what he cast as a U.S. attempt to use Kyiv to undermine Russia.

The comments from Nikolai Patrushev, the powerful secretary of Russia's Security Council, appeared to be an attempt to blame the United States for any division of Ukraine that emerges from the conflict.

In an interview with the government newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Patrushev said the United States had for years been trying to instill hatred for everything Russian in Ukrainians.

"Using their henchmen in Kyiv, the Americans, in an