Russia’s top diplomat warned the US on Tuesday against ordering a so-called “decapitation strike” to target President Vladimir Putin.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke about the alleged assassination plot in a wide-ranging interview with reporters new state agency Tass.
“Some ‘unnamed Pentagon officials’ have threatened to launch a ‘decapitation strike’ against the Kremlin,” he said. “Basically, we are talking about the threat of physical destruction of the head of the Russian government.”
Lavrov warned: “If such ideas are, in fact, being considered by someone, someone should think very carefully about the possible consequences of such plans.”
Lavrov’s comments referred to a Pentagon official who spoke on condition of anonymity Newsweek in September The Defense Department said it was considering assassinating Putin in the heart of the Kremlin in response to a potential Russian nuclear strike.
At that time, the Russian embassy in Washington condemned the Pentagon official’s statement as “deception” and “negligence”.
In an interview with Tass, Lavrov also blamed the US and its NATO allies for sending tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine since the start of the war as a way to defeat Russia on the battlefield. significantly weaken or even destroy the country.
“Collective Western countries and the actions of (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky, under their control, confirm the global nature of the Ukrainian crisis,” Lavrov said.
Reiterating that Russia and the United States cannot continue normal relations, the president blamed the Biden administration.
“It is objectively impossible to maintain normal relations with the Biden administration, which declares the strategic defeat of our country as its goal,” Lavrov said.
Putin has repeatedly floated the idea of ​​peace talks in recent days, but his top diplomat has made clear that Moscow has a number of conditions, including that Ukraine recognize Russia’s occupation of a fifth of its territory.
“The enemy is well aware of our proposals for demilitarization and denazification of the regime-controlled areas and the elimination of threats to Russia’s security from there, including our new territories,” Lavrov was quoted as saying by Tass. “The rest: do them for your own good, otherwise the matter is settled. It’s simple: [Fulfill] them to your advantage. Otherwise, the Russian army will solve this issue.”
Asked how long the 11-month-old conflict in Ukraine would last, Lavrov said it was entirely up to Kiev and its Western allies.
“The ball is in the court of the (Ukrainian) regime and its supporters in Washington,” Lavrov said. “They can stop their futile resistance at any time.”
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