Moscow will not hesitate to use nuclear weapons if Ukraine’s counteroffensive efforts are successful and recapture “Russian land”, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned on Sunday.
The war of words once again escalated in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine on Sunday, with Zelensky declaring that it is “absolutely fair” for targets within Russia to be attacked and top-Putin ally Dmitry Medvedev explicitly threatening to resort to a nuclear strike to win the war.
Taking to his personal Telegram channel to mark the Russian military holiday of Navy Day, the former president said: “Our Armed Forces, repelling the counteroffensive of the collective enemy, protect the citizens of Russia and our land. This is obvious to all decent people.
“But beyond that, they prevent world conflict. After all, if we imagine that the offensive of the [Ukrainian Nazis] with the support of NATO was successful and they seized part of our land, then we would have to, by virtue of the rules of the decree of the President of Russia dated 06/02/2020, go for the use of nuclear weapons.”
“There is simply no other way out. Therefore, our enemies must pray to our warriors. They do not allow the global nuclear fire to flare up,” Medvedev concluded.
Medvedev has become one of the most belligerent voices in Moscow, even going so far as to threaten to send the UK into the “abyss” with nuclear weapons in light of London’s staunch support of Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
In his post on Sunday, he specifically referenced an executive order signed by Vladimir Putin in June of 2020 that laid out the Kremlin’s position on “nuclear deterrence”.
“The Russian Federation reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to the use of nuclear and other types of weapons of mass destruction against it and/or its allies, as well as in the event of aggression against the Russian Federation with the use of conventional weapons when the very existence of the state is in jeopardy,” the document states.
Russia Formalises Agreement to Deploy Nuclear Weapons to Europe in Belarus https://t.co/h4lvpGBEPo
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) May 25, 2023
Currently, Kyiv is embarking upon an effort to recapture land illegally annexed by Russia in the Donetsk region and the Crimean Peninsula. While progress has been limited, President Zelensky claimed last week that his forces have recaptured some land in Zaporizhzhia province, which borders the Donetsk region.
Russia considers both Crimea and Donetsk, which are both home to large populations of ethnic Russians, as their own territory now and integral to its national security. Despite Medvedev’s threat of deploying nuclear weapons to protect “Russian land”, it seems possible the threat would apply if Ukraine reclaimed their own internationally recognised territory from Russian occupation.
Last year, President Joe Biden warned of a potential “armageddon” scenario of Russia using nukes and his National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that the White House has “communicated directly, privately and at very high levels to the Kremlin that any use of nuclear weapons will be met with catastrophic consequences for Russia.”
This weekend, following a summit with African leaders in St Petersburg, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia hopes to avoid a direct conflict with the Western NATO alliance, but added: “If someone wants it – and that’s not us – then we’re ready.”
The territories of Crimea and Donetsk may not be the only Russian lands in question for the nuclear option, with Ukraine apparently stepping up attacks on the Russian mainland itself as drone strikes hit a building in Moscow over the weekend. Following the attack, President Zelensky said that “war is returning to the territory of Russia” and that it is “inevitable, natural and absolutely fair” for Ukraine to hit targets within Russia.
Zelensky Declares it Is ‘Absolutely Fair’ For Ukraine to Attack Targets Inside Russiahttps://t.co/PWnCKpHLw1
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) July 31, 2023
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