Russia’s former President Issues Military Threat to the United States – Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev issued a warning to the United States on Thursday, implying that Russia has the military capability to take on the West.
Medvedev, who currently serves as the deputy secretary for the Russian Security Council, reportedly claimed that the United States is engaging in “disgusting” anti-Russian activity and sentiment and that the West should be concerned about Russia’s power.
“It will not work – Russia has the might to put all of our brash enemies in their place,” Medvedev said, according to a report by Reuters.
Medvedev was the president of Russia between 2008 and 2012. He reportedly claimed that the United States is misrepresenting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with the goal of tearing Russia apart.
Putin Threatens the United States
At the beginning of March, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin likened Western sanctions against Russia to a “declaration of war” – suggesting that, should those sanctions get worse, he may take military action against the West in response.
“These sanctions that are being imposed are akin to a declaration of war but thank God it has not come to that,” Putin told flight attendants while attending an Aeroflot training center close to Moscow.
Putin added that he would also consider any attempt to implement a no-fly zone in Ukraine as an escalation to military conflict.
So far, Western sanctions have not prompted Russia to take military action against any NATO member states- but Putin did put his nuclear forces on high alert two weeks ago.
Should the United States Be Preparing for War with Russia?
Evelyn Farkas, the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia, argued in February that the United States must prepare for war against Russia over Ukraine.
“The United States must do more than issue ultimatums about sanctions and economic penalties. U.S. leaders should be marshaling an international coalition of the willing, readying military forces to deter Putin and, if necessary, prepare for war,” Farkas wrote.
Russia’s Su-34 fighter-bomber. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Farkas added that the world will watch the United States’ response to a Russian invasion of Ukraine and that any subsequent acceptance of Russian gains in Ukraine would “spell the beginning of the end of the international order. She argued that if Europe and NATO fail to defend the foundational principles of the United Nations, then nobody else will.
The United States may not, however, be prepared for a war with Russia – especially if it becomes nuclear war.
Russia could take control of countries in Eastern Europe but is unlikely to be able to defeat a long war against NATO forces. Should Russia opt to go nuclear, Professor Hal Brands writes that the United States cannot use missile defense systems to defend against an all-out attack from Russia or China.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and report on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
