2024-03-18 05:12:23
After his re-election, Russian President Vladimir Putin painted the tensions between Russia and the West, especially NATO, in a dark light. A comprehensive conflict with NATO cannot be ruled out, and in this case the world would be only one step away from a third world war, Putin said on Sunday evening in Moscow following his victory in the presidential elections. He sees his troops in Ukraine as having an advantage.
“I think it’s unlikely that anyone is interested in this,” Putin was quoted as saying by the state agency TASS. According to Putin, numerous soldiers from NATO member states are already deployed in Ukraine. “We already know that,” he said. French and English have already been heard. “That’s not a good thing, especially for them, because they die there in large numbers,” said Putin – without substantiating this claim.
The Russian president appeared open to discussions regarding France’s proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine during the Olympic Games. However, the interests of the Russian military at the front would have to be taken into account. The Olympic Games will take place in Paris from July 26th to August 11th.
The Kremlin chief sees his troops in Ukraine as having a clear advantage following conquering several towns and villages in the east of the country. “The initiative comes entirely from the Russian armed forces and in some areas our people are just mowing them down – the enemy.”
The Kremlin had presented the election as an opportunity for Russians to show their support for Russian military operations in Ukraine. The three-day vote was accompanied by numerous Ukrainian drone attacks. According to the Defense Ministry, eight regions in Russia were attacked with drones on Sunday night and Sunday morning alone. Pro-Ukrainian fighters also advanced into Russian border areas.
In addition, Putin officially confirmed for the first time on Sunday that the now deceased Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny should be replaced. Putin said at a press conference in Moscow following his victory in the presidential election that he had already given his consent to the exchange for Russians imprisoned in the West. “As for Mr. Navalny, he is no longer alive,” Putin was quoted as saying. “This is a sad event.”
“Unfortunately, what happened happened,” Putin continued regarding Navalny’s death. “But it happens, there’s nothing you can do regarding it, that’s life.”
Navalny’s long-time confidant Leonid Volkov called Putin’s statement a month following the death of the Kremlin opponent “cynical.” Putin, who said Navalny’s name for the first time, actually killed his opponent so that he wouldn’t have to be replaced. He described Putin as a “blood-sucking bug” who would soon burst.
Kremlin critic Navalny, who was sentenced to a long prison sentence, died in a prison camp in Siberia in mid-February. The circumstances of his death are still unclear to this day. Authorities say Putin’s harshest critic collapsed while touring the icy prison yard. Attempts at resuscitation were unsuccessful. His widow Yulia Navalnaya believes that her husband was murdered in the camp.
Shortly following Navalny’s death, it was reported from his circle of confidants that he should actually have been exchanged for the so-called Tiergarten murderer, who was imprisoned in Germany. Accordingly, Vadim K., who was convicted in Germany in December 2021, should have been extradited to Russia – in return for Navalny and two unnamed Americans. It was said that a corresponding offer was made to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin at the beginning of February.
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