MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian ex-President Dmitry Medvedev said on Sunday the country was increasing production of next-generation weapons to protect itself from enemies in Europe, the United States and Australia.
“We are increasing the production of the most powerful means of destruction. Including those based on new principles,” Medvedev said on the Telegram messaging app.
“Our enemy dug not only in the Kiev province of our native Malorossiya,” Medvedev said, using the term to describe the territories of modern Ukraine that were part of the Russian Empire under the tsars.
“It was in Europe, North America, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and many other places that I pledged allegiance to the Nazis.”
Medvedev, who is deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, did not provide details of the weapons.
President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that Russia is developing new types of weapons, including hypersonic weapons which he says can bypass all existing missile defense systems.
Since Putin sent troops to Ukraine on February 24, Medvedev, 57, has regularly taken to social media to write increasingly explosive messages.
With Moscow on the back foot in its offensive in pro-Western Ukraine, the military stalemate has raised fears that Russia could use its nuclear arsenal to achieve a military breakthrough.
On Friday, Putin said Russia could amend its military doctrine by introducing the possibility of a preemptive strike to disarm an enemy, in an apparent reference to a nuclear attack.
The Kremlin chief claimed that Russian cruise missiles and hypersonic systems were “more modern and even more efficient” than those of the United States.
“We are increasing the production of the most powerful means of destruction. Including those based on new principles,” Medvedev said on the Telegram messaging app.
“Our enemy dug not only in the Kiev province of our native Malorossiya,” Medvedev said, using the term to describe the territories of modern Ukraine that were part of the Russian Empire under the tsars.
“It was in Europe, North America, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and many other places that I pledged allegiance to the Nazis.”
Medvedev, who is deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, did not provide details of the weapons.
President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that Russia is developing new types of weapons, including hypersonic weapons which he says can bypass all existing missile defense systems.
Since Putin sent troops to Ukraine on February 24, Medvedev, 57, has regularly taken to social media to write increasingly explosive messages.
With Moscow on the back foot in its offensive in pro-Western Ukraine, the military stalemate has raised fears that Russia could use its nuclear arsenal to achieve a military breakthrough.
On Friday, Putin said Russia could amend its military doctrine by introducing the possibility of a preemptive strike to disarm an enemy, in an apparent reference to a nuclear attack.
The Kremlin chief claimed that Russian cruise missiles and hypersonic systems were “more modern and even more efficient” than those of the United States.
