Foreign Ministry statement (https://mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/news/1948486/) on the Russian Armed Forces’ exercises held to practice for the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons
Regarding the upcoming Russian military exercises held to practice for the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons, we would like to point out that these drills should be viewed in the context of the recent militant statements made by Western officials and the highly destabilising actions taken by several NATO countries to increase military pressure on the Russian Federation <…>.
The matter concerns above all the open declaration of support for and the provision of direct assistance to the terrorist attacks against Russia carried out by the Kiev regime with the use of increasingly more advanced Western weapons provided to it. <…>
Apart from the British and French long-range missiles, which have long been used in Ukraine, we have taken special note of the models of US-made ATACMS missiles, which have been recently sent to Ukraine and are capable of reaching targets inside Russia.
At the same time, attempting to build up multifaceted missile threats to Russia, the US has openly and manifestly launched the deployment of ground-based intermediate- and shorter-range missiles, which were previously prohibited under the INF Treaty, around the world. <…>
We hereby expressly declare that we reserve the right to respond in kind, no matter where US-made intermediate- and shorter-range missiles are deployed, which would amount to the termination of Russia’s unilateral moratorium on the deployment of these weapon systems. <…>
These and several other actions by NATO countries actually show that they are deliberately trying to escalate the Ukrainian crisis all the way to an open military confrontation between NATO countries and Russia within the framework of their hostile policy of inflicting a “strategic defeat” on Russia.
There is a way to deal with Russia; But childish behaviour and empty threats from imbecilic politicians which Russia knows the west cannot back up, because of the insane policies like Nut Zero, won’t intimidate them.
If it came to WWIII, Russia knows that it is in a far better position than any of the west to recover afterwards. In contrast, it would be the end of the west. Russia has no long term interest in caving in to the empty and childish threats of the west, when it knows that either it would win or the west would be forced into a humiliating and catastrophic climb down.
