Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday threatened the West, promising “lightning-speed” retaliation against any nation that interferes in the invasion of Ukraine.
“When someone decides to intervene in current events [in Ukraine] from the outside and then creates unacceptable strategic threats to Russia [they] We need to know that our response, our retaliatory strikes, will be lightning fast and fast,” Putin told Russian lawmakers, according to Ukrainian newspaper Ukrayinska Pravda.
“We have all the tools for it – which nobody can boast of right now. And we will not brag – we will use them when necessary!” continued the Russian President. “And everyone should know about it! All related decisions have already been made.”
Putin also pledged to continue his invasion of Ukraine, focusing on the eastern provinces.
“I would like to reiterate that all the tasks of the special military operation that we are conducting in Donbass and Ukraine, which was launched on February 24, will be unconditionally fulfilled,” he said.
His comments were reportedly met with applause.
The threats come as Russian state media casually mentioned the nuclear annihilation of New York City and the United Kingdom, all within days of Russia testing its latest nuclear-capable ballistic missile.
Western officials have dismissed much of Russia’s nuclear rhetoric as saber-rattling, saying Russia has made no changes to its nuclear stance that warrant a change in the West’s.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also pledged to continue his invasion of Ukraine Sputnik/Alexei Danichev/Kremlin via REUTERS
But Russia has turned to economic bludgeons, withdrawing natural gas from NATO members Poland and Bulgaria and threatening to cut sales to even more Western countries.
“It is no surprise that the Kremlin is trying to blackmail us with fossil fuels,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday. “Today the Kremlin failed again in its attempt to sow divisions between member states. The era of Russian fossil fuels in Europe is coming to an end.”
With mail wires