On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned of the potential of the war in Ukraine escalating if US spy drones are spotted in or around the Black Sea.
He said Russia will certainly target such aircraft and that the world must take note of the dangers of “direct confrontation” between Russia and NATO.
Putin’s newly appointed Defense Minister, Andrey Belousov, has already ordered the Military High Command to “take measures to respond immediately to provocations’ involving US surveillance drones over the Black Sea.” However, he did not specify what those measures would be.
The Russian defense ministry released a statement saying it “noted an increased intensity of flights of US strategic unmanned aerial vehicles over the waters of the Black Sea, which carry out reconnaissance and targeting of precision weapons supplied to the Ukrainian armed forces by Western countries to strike Russian facilities”.
This “demonstrates the increasing involvement of the United States and NATO countries in the conflict in Ukraine on the side of the Kyiv regime,” the statement concluded.
Escalating Tension
Separately, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Ryabkov, told a TV station in Moscow recently of the dire risk of the current strains in relations between Russia and the West turning into nuclear war.
“Let’s call a spade a spade; the classic, old, previous reading of nuclear deterrence did not work properly,” he told his TV host.
“We [recently] saw the president [Putin] order an exercise to develop practical skills in the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons.
“This in itself is a signal that is read not only by military professionals, nor only by diplomats, but, I hope, by the general public in Western countries, which condones their leaders in a completely irresponsible, dangerous course that is pushing Western countries into the abyss of direct armed confrontation with Russia.”
Ryabkov threatened: “We have never agreed with the Americans in their idea of a limited nuclear war.
“We have always said that if it comes to the use of nuclear weapons on the battlefield, it will be very difficult to control the further scenario, and the further course, and the further path of escalation.”
The world does nothing now but pray the conflict in Ukraine is resolved as quickly as possible. The United States and its allies are gradually getting drawn into the conflict, as are allies like North Korea on the Russian side.
Russia is a mighty nuclear power, and conflicts between it and Western powers could easily result in nuclear exchange—an unimaginable, devastating prospect for humankind.
Republican nominee in the upcoming U.S. election, former President Donald Trump, has promised to end the Ukrainian war in a day. He did not outline how this could be achieved, but he is known to have had a cozy relationship with Mr. Putin during his first term in office.
Some Ukrainians fear he could sacrifice their sovereignty for peace with Russia – if he wins.
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