Dmitry Medvedev, a long-time ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has laid out the country’s new deterrence policy against Western “aggression,” and warned that provocations by Ukraine and its allies could result in nuclear war.
In what constitutes one of the starkest threats from Russia since the invasion began in February 2022, the politician’s comments come amid reports that restrictions on Kyiv’s use of Western weapons will soo be lifted.
Medvedev, who has previously held the positions of both president and prime minister, and currently serves as deputy chair of the country’s Security Council, made the remarks in a long-winded post to Telegram on Wednesday evening.
In it, he warned that the “neo-Nazi” Ukrainian regime, abetted by its Western allies, “are pushing the world towards a nuclear catastrophe.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev arrive to the Red Square Victory Day Parade, May 9, 2019 in Moscow, Russia. On Wednesday, Medvedev warned that “aggression” from Ukraine and its allies was pushing the world towards “nuclear catastrophe.”
Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images
His comments echo those made by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who on Wednesday announced that his government would be reviewing the conditions under which the country might resort to employing its nuclear arsenal.
These updated guidelines, Putin said, would consider “aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state, as their joint attack on the Russian Federation.”
“Everyone understands which countries we are talking about,” Medvedev wrote; a clear reference to Ukraine, which does not possess nuclear weapons, but is supported by the nuclear-armed U.S., as well as France and the U.K.
The broader criteria would also treat any “massive” attack by missiles, aircraft or drones on Russian territory as worthy of a nuclear response, Putin continued, which Medvedev said would “cool the ardor of those opponents who have not yet lost their sense of self-preservation.”
The updated policy would also consider Belarus, an ally of Moscow, as falling within Russia’s nuclear umbrella, with any attack on the country treated as a nuclear provocation against Moscow itself.
Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov and Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev wait before a meeting of the Security Council on nuclear deterrence at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, September 25. During the meeting, President Vladimir Putin laid out the country’s new nuclear deterrence policies.
Aleksey Nikolskyi/Sputnik via AP
The statements of both Medvedev and Putin coincide with Kyiv’s efforts to gain permission to deploy long-range Western weaponry against Russian military targets.
Ukraine has long clamored for these restrictions to be eased, with Volodymyr Zelensky previously calling it the “one decision” that could halt the Russian advances into the country.
The Ukrainian president is visiting the U.S. this week, and the topic of long-range strikes will likely feature in his Thursday meeting with Joe Biden, during which Zelensky also plans to unveil his “Victory Plan” for the conflict.
Reports that the U.S., and other European countries, will assent to these requests have drawn outrage from Moscow, who warn that such a move would make Ukraine’s allies legitimate targets for direct retaliation.
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