Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has iterated his warning that any country that tries to intervene in the Ukraine war will face a “lightning-fast” response.
Mr. Putin said “We have all the tools no one can boast of… we will use them if necessary”, in what is seen as a reference to ballistic missiles and nuclear arms. Mr. Putin made his comments while speaking to Russian lawmakers in a Wednesday (April 27, 2022) late night address in the Northern city of St. Petersburg.
“If someone from the outside tries to intervene in Ukraine and create strategic threats for Russia, our response will be lightning fast. We have all the tools [to respond] that no one can boast of. And we will not be bragging about them, we will use them if necessary.”
Russian President, Vladimir Putin
The Russian leader also added that all decisions on what that response would include have already been made, without providing any further details to justify his comments.
A Decision to Step-up Weapon Supply
Ukraine’s allies stepped up the supply of weapons, with the US vowing to make sure Ukraine defeats Russia. Western officials disclosed that Russia is being hampered in its efforts in the east.
Last week, Russia launched a major offensive to seize the Donbas region after withdrawing from areas around Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. But according to one official, Russian Forces are “finding it difficult to overcome the staunch Ukrainian resistance and they are suffering losses”.
A Russian “Blackmail”
In an earlier development, the European Commission accused Russia of “blackmail” after Moscow cut off gas exports to Poland and Bulgaria.
The Commission’s President, Ursula von der Leyen pointed out that the decision showed Russia’s “unreliability” as a supplier.
According to the Kremlin, Russia was forced into this action by the “unfriendly steps” of Western nations. Gazprom’s cut-off follows Poland and Bulgaria’s refusal to pay for gas in Russian Roubles, a demand that was made by President Vladimir Putin in March 2022, which is designed to shore up the faltering currency battered by Western sanctions.
What are Analysts Saying?
Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, February 24, 2022, and within days, President Putin ordered his military to put Russia’s nuclear deterrence forces on high alert.
Analysts are suggesting that such threats are an attempt by Mr. Putin to warn Ukraine’s allies not to intervene more in the ongoing conflict.
President Putin was speaking a day after Western nations held a summit in Germany, promising to ramp up military support for Ukraine. US Defence Secretary, Lloyd Austin, has pledged to move “heaven and earth” to ensure that Ukraine wins the war against Russia.
There has recently been an increasing number of pledges to increase military support to Ukraine, including Germany’s announcement that it will send 50 anti-aircraft tanks, in a sharp U-turn in policy.
Death Toll Since the Invasion
Tens of thousands of Ukrainians and Russians have died since the invasionRussia invaded Ukraine and third parties estimate the losses among Russian troops are the greatest.
British Defense Secretary, George Wallace, on Monday, April 25, 2022, revealed that 15,000 Russian troops have been killed since Russia’s invasion on Ukraine in February, 2022. Adding to mounting evidence of the Russian death toll, NATO estimated that about 7,000 to 15,000 Russian troops died in the invasion.
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