Dmitry Medvedev, Russia‘s former president and one of Vladimir Putin’s staunchest allies, issued a fearsome threat to accident countries to try to prevent the United States from supplying weapons to Ukraine.
“The Horsemen of the Apocalypse are on their way”, Medvedev said, referring to an “all-out attack” on the West for the military support it has given to Russia’s counterpart in the current war in Europe.
Known as Vlad’s “yes man”Medvedev, 56, was previously seen as more moderate than the Russian leader, although he has taken an increasingly hard line in recent years.
As deputy head of Russia’s national security council, he issued a chilling threat to Ukraine and its allies last week.
Referring to his fiery posts on the Telegram messaging app, he said: “I am often asked why my Telegram posts are so harsh. The answer is that I hate them. They are idiots and degenerates.”
“They want death for Russia. And as long as I’m alive, I’ll do my best to make them go away.” added the former president.
It follows an earlier warning from Medvedev, who served as Russian president from 2008 to 2012, that Russia was ready to expand its military operations if attacked by Western missiles supplied to Ukraine.
Former Russian opposition MP Dmitry Gudkov has claimed that Medvedev is preparing a power grab if Putin is forced out of office.
“He is trying to pander to hardliners in the hope that they will promote him, should Putin step down,” he told The Times.
In April, he wrote a rambling post on Telegram justifying the invasion of Ukraine and calling for the expansion of Russian influence across Europe and Asia.
Said the “complex tasks” of “demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine” were the key objectives and that they would not be decided simply “on the battlefield”.
In a lengthy letter, he wrote: “Changing the bloody and myth-filled consciousness of a part of today’s Ukrainians is the most important goal.”
“The goal is for the sake of peace for future generations of Ukrainians and the opportunity to finally build an open Eurasia, from Lisbon to Vladivostok”he added.
While last month, Medvedev called on the West to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine.
“The endless talk of foreign analysts about a war between NATO and Russia continues unabated. The cynicism of Western ‘talking heads’ is becoming increasingly apparent. The thesis that Russia threatens the world with a nuclear conflict is being pushed to the top of the agenda.” said the Russian leader.
“Even (Donald) Trump recently came out with this, though understandably just to spite (Joe) Biden. And of course the Europeans are screaming their little voices.” he reiterated.
He went on to list the reasons why the West would be planning the destruction of Russia, such as the “weapons bombing of Ukraine by NATO countries,” the training Ukrainian troops have had to use Western equipment, the “sending of mercenaries” and “the carrying out of exercises by the countries of the Alliance near our borders”.
All of the above, he says, increases the possibility of “a direct and open conflict between NATO and Russia, instead of the ‘proxy war’ that is being waged.”
That is why Medvedev warns: “Such a conflict always has the risk of escalating into a full-fledged nuclear war.” And he adds: “This would be a catastrophic scenario for everyone. That is all”.
That message concluded with an invitation to “reasonable people” not to drown in “paroxysms of Russophobia.”
Medvedev’s increasingly hard-line stance is seen as an appeal to the Russian military, which previously saw it as too liberal.
When he was elected Russia’s president in 2008, after Putin was forced to resign due to term limits, he seemed to offer a very different vision than his predecessor.
“Freedom is better than lack of freedom”he said then, while speaking of “genuine democracy” and seemed to be seeking closer ties with Washington.
But since the Ukraine invasion, he has repeated Putin’s war rhetoric, accusing President Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials of being Nazis and drug addicts.
However, Medvedev is not seen as one of the favorites to take office if the 69-year-old Putin steps down or is forced to step down.
Former Kremlin adviser Gleb Pavlovsky said Medvedev has “no chance” of becoming president again.
“He is not a popular person”, he said, referring to Medvedev’s low approval ratings during his eight years as Russian prime minister between 2012 and 2020.
Medvedev’s rhetoric may have less to do with his bid for power and more to do with self-preservation.
As the atmosphere in Moscow becomes increasingly oppressive, Medvedev may be trying to shield himself from accusations of ties to liberal politicians and businessmen.
Several former Medvedev allies have been jailed in recent years, while his former adviser Arkady Dvorkovich was charged with national treason after speaking out against the war.
As Putin seeks to cement his position, he has spoken chillingly of the need to “purify” Russia of “national traitors.”
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Serious threat from Dmitri Medvedev to Ukraine and its allies: “I hate them, I will do everything to make them disappear”
Former Russian President Medvedev Attacks “Degenerates” Who Wish Their Country “Death”
Source-www.infobae.com