Latest Videos
The United States’ recently announced plan to deploy hypersonic missiles in Germany has drawn backlash with a Vladimir Putin spokesman levelling threats at European capitals.
Knewz.com has learned that this menace was uttered by Dmitry Peskov in an interview with a Russian state news outlet when he referred to NATO cities as “potential victims”.
“The United States deployed such missiles, different types of missiles of different ranges, but always aimed at our country,” Peskov claimed.
“Our country, accordingly, has identified these European locations [where said missiles are stationed] as targets for our missiles.”
When reminded of the Soviet era’s collapse, he offered an insight into his belief that could explain the reason for Russia’s audacious invasion and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
“Europe is now bursting at the seams,” he told his interviewer. “This is not the best time for Europe.”
“Therefore, the repetition of history in different configurations is inevitable.”
Peskov’s statements follow an earlier diatribe from the Russian ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov.
Antonov released a statement on the embassy’s Telegram channel saying:
“Essentially, this is about the US’ plans to deploy intermediate-and short-range missiles in Europe.”
“Washington is making a serious mistake. Such highly destabilizing steps directly threaten international security and strategic stability.”
“The Americans are increasing the risk of a missile arms race. Here, they forget that going the way of confrontation may set off an uncontrollable escalation amid the dangerous aggravation of tensions along the Russia-NATO track.”
While off the mark with his remarks about America instigating escalation, his references to the exacerbating tensions between Russia and NATO bore substance.
An Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) moratorium was signed by the U.S. and Russia at the end of the Cold War.
Putin, however, felt that the pact was too restrictive and US officials alleged the regime started testing projectiles that violated said pact. A report noted these accusations escalated to the point that the U.S. withdrew from the INF agreement in 2019 and Russia followed suit.
On Anotov's second point: NATO countries—especially those bordering Russia—have on more than one occasion indicated that they felt menaced by their authoritarian neighbor.
As a testimony to the latter, Baltic member states have threatened to field troops against Russia and in so doing draw the entire military bloc into a war.
Another suggestion put forward by Putin’s northern neighbors was that a 1,500-mile defensive line be built to wall in Russia.
These suggestions follow an ongoing tide of provocative maneuvers by the Russian military including violations of air space during military exercises, hybrid warfare–(dropping off vast amounts of immigrants near the border with Finland in an attempt to destabilize the country), and sending drones through Romanian territory when targeting Ukrainian grain facilities on the Danube River.
Antonov further alleged:
“Instead of aspiring for peace, like Russia does, the Americans took a dangerous militarist path.”
“There, nobody is thinking about minimizing the dangerous consequences of breaking the [already broken] Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.”
“Washington has yet again displayed its insatiable need to show its own military superiority,” his statement concluded.