Photo: PA
President Vladimir Putin said western countries’ sanctions on Russia are akin to a declaration of war.
The Russian leader was quoted by Reuters, as he also reinforced that his country has to defend Russian speakers in the eastern region of Ukraine, as well as its own interests.
He said: “These (sanctions) are methods of fighting against Russia.
“These sanctions that you can see are equivalent to declaring a war – but thankfully it has not come to an actual war but we understand what these threats are about.”
In a TV appearance where he was addressing female flight attendants, he insisted Russia wants Ukraine to be “demilitarised” and “denazified”, setting a reminder of his wish for his neighbour to be neutral and not become a Western ally.
It comes as Moscow has hit out at the West for acting like bandits, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying the world is “too big” for the US and Europe to isolate Russia.
Peskov said the West was involved in “economic banditry” against Russia and that his country would respond – but did not give details other than the fact that a response will match Russian interests.
“This does not mean Russia is isolated.
“The world is too big for Europe and America to isolate a country, and even more so a country as big as Russia.
“There are many more countries in the world,” Peskov said, according to Sky News.
Peskov also warned that any US sanctions on Russia’s energy exports would severely affect energy markets.
So far, sanctions imposed by the US, the UK and the EU do not appear to halt Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as the fighting enters its 10th day.
Meanwhile, a military analyst has claimed Russia wants a war with NATO, as he quoted statements made on Russian state television.
Dr Peter Caddick-Adams, a prominent British historian who specialises in military history said Russian TV claimed Russia is at war with NATO “because all of Ukraine’s military formations are carrying out NATO’s tasks”.
“Baiting NATO?”, one Twitter user asked.
Caddick-Adams replied: “My assessment: Right now, at this moment in time, the Kremlin is so angry, so bitter and deluded, that it actually wants a war with NATO.”
But Russian president Vladimir Putin said last month that “of course” his country does not want war in Europe.
According to the BBC, Putin wants assurances that neighbouring Ukraine will not join the Western-led NATO military alliance, because he sees it as a threat to Russia’s security.
But NATO rejected the demand – and US president Joe Biden insisting the alliance would maintain its “open door” policy for European states who want to join it, Reuters reported last week.
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