Russia is talking tough again, this time in the form of Putin insider and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Speaking with the Russian state media propaganda outlet Tass, Medvedev blustered about NATO's support for Ukraine, in particular the deployment of Patriot air-defense missiles, and stated that a pre-emptive strike may be required.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Moscow should consider launching "preemptive strikes" against the West as the U.S. and its NATO allies ratchet up defensive support for Ukraine.
"The statements of Western politicians on this topic are complete nonsense," Medvedev, deputy chair of Russia’s security council, said in an interview with state media outlet Tass, according to Reuters reporting.
"We need to act accordingly. To respond in full. And if necessary, launch preemptive strikes," he added.
That's dangerous talk; the Patriot systems, while they will be operated by Ukrainian troops, will be routed to Ukraine through the auspices of NATO. It's not clear to what extent NATO personnel will be involved in the delivery of these systems, or in training Ukrainian troops in their deployment and use.
President Trump is rumored to have spoken with Ukraine's President Zelensky on the possibility of striking Moscow, but those reports are not confirmed.
Reports also surfaced this week claiming that Trump had mulled the possibility of Ukraine hitting the Russian capital while in a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this month. Kyiv would not comment on the issue and the White House said the question was taken "out of context" and was not an attempt at "encouraging further killing."
Trump this week said the U.S. would be sending Patriot missiles to NATO nations that would then be routed to Ukraine, and on Wednesday he suggested the sophisticated weaponry was already en route to Germany.
"They're already being shipped," Trump told reporters from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. "They're coming in from Germany and then replaced by Germany. And in all cases, the United States gets paid back in full."
Bear in mind that Russia is known for its emissions of hot air.
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There's the possibility that this statement, made as it was to Russia's state media outlet, was intended more for domestic consumption than as a warning to NATO. Any strike by Russia that, even by mistake, resulted in injury or death of personnel from any NATO nation would cross a line that it's pretty certain Tsar Vladimir I doesn't want to cross - yet. The fact that this statement was issued by Putin's creature, Dmitry Medvedev, who served as president only while Vladimir Putin could engineer his eventual power grab, would seem to support that possibility.
We should note as well that the Patriot systems in question are air-defense systems - defensive weapons. Their deployment presents no direct threat to Russian troops in or out of Ukraine. They cannot be used to strike Moscow or any other land target. Russia knows this. Tsar Vladimir I knows this, and Dmitry Medvedev knows this. This, also, would seem to support the contention that Russia is, once again, issuing a volume of superheated air.
Meanwhile, in the trenches in Ukraine, the conflict grinds on.
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