Putin Warns of Unlimited Retaliatory Measures: “Swift, Hard, and Convincing”

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During an interview on Saturday, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev warned that sending longer-range missiles to Kiev only risks further escalation. He added that he doesn’t think the US wants the war to end. Putin confirmed Medvedev’s warning in even stronger language.

[If Ukraine goes rogue, we could enter World War III, which President Zelensky has encouraged.]

In an interview with Russian journalist Nadana Fridrikhson, Medvedev denied that Ukrainian strikes against the Crimean peninsula would force Moscow to sit down at the negotiating table. “The result would be exactly the contrary. There would be no talks in such a case. There would only be retaliatory strikes,” he warned.

Medvedev insisted that if Washington wanted peace in Ukraine, it could simply urge Kiev to engage in talks with Moscow, but that US President Joe Biden’s administration and “hawks” in Congress are “simply not interested in it.”

Russia could “retaliate in any way possible” should Ukrainian forces strike targets in Crimea or deep inside Russian territory, the former president warned. “We do not set any limits depending on the nature of threats and are ready to use all types of weapons,” he insisted, adding that Russia would only be guided by its own doctrines, including the nuclear protocol.

“I can assure you a response would be swift, hard, and convincing.”

Putin’s warning

Russian President Vladimir Putin also warned that Moscow’s response to the threat would span far beyond armored vehicles. The Russian leader made the comments during a ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of victory at the Battle of Stalingrad.

“Unbelievable, but true – we are once again threatened with German Leopard tanks, with crosses on their hull. And once again seeking to battle Russia in Ukraine with the help of Hitler’s followers, the Banderites,” Putin said.

“Those seeking to defeat Russia on the battlefield apparently do not realize that a modern war with Russia would be entirely different for them. We’re not sending our tanks to their borders. Yet we have something to respond with, and it would not be limited to armor use only; everyone must realize that” he added.

[He is sending tanks all over Ukraine.]

Berlin pledged to deliver 14 Leopard 2 tanks as well as allowing European countries to re-export German-made vehicles from their own inventories.

The number of Leopards expected to be funneled to Ukraine amounts to some 112 vehicles.

Washington pledged to send 31 Abrams tanks but doesn’t expect to deliver them until late 2023 at the earliest. Instead, they are sending $2.1 billion, HIMARS (that can reach Crimea), money for a glide bomb, and other weaponry.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett claimed during a nearly five-hour-long video interview to Israel’s Channel 12 on Saturday, that his efforts as a middleman came close to succeeding as both Moscow and Kiev appeared to be ready to make concessions and agree to a truce.

It didn’t happen because “I think there was a legitimate decision by the West to keep striking [Russian President Vladimir] Putin… I mean the more aggressive approach,” he said.

Bucking for war?

What many believe.


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