An ally of Vladimir Putin has warned that any attack on Crimea — annexed by Russia in 2014, but still widely recognized as part of Ukraine – will ignite a ‘Judgement Day’ reaction.
Former President Dmitry Medvedev said Kiev and the West’s refusal to recognize the Kremlin’s control over the region poses a “systemic threat.”
Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula after a pro-Moscow president was ousted in Ukraine during mass street protests.
In the event of an attack there, Medvedev told the TASS news agency: “The doomsday will come very quickly and hard. It will be very difficult to hide.’
Though he didn’t elaborate, Medvedev has previously warned the US of the dangers of trying to punish a nuclear power like Russia for its campaign in Ukraine, saying it could endanger humanity.
His comments were aired a day after a Ukrainian official suggested Crimea could be a target for US-made HIMARS missiles, which were recently deployed by Kiev in the fight against Russian forces.
Medvedev, who is now deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as previously telling World War II veterans: “If any other state, be it Ukraine or NATO countries, believes Crimea does not Russian, then this is a systemic threat to us.
“This is a direct and explicit threat, especially given what happened to Crimea. Crimea returned to Russia.’
Vadym Skibitskyi, an official with Ukrainian military intelligence, was asked in a televised interview on Saturday whether HIMARS could be used on targets in Crimea.
He said that Russia had carried out attacks on Ukrainian territory from the Crimea and the Black Sea and that these were also legitimate targets.
Crimea is of particular strategic importance to Russia, as it includes the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol.
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