MOSCOW: The refusal of Ukraine and Nato powers to recognise Moscow’s authority over Crimea represents a “systemic risk” for Russia, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev mentioned on Sunday.
Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 after a pro-Moscow president in Kyiv was toppled amid mass road protests. Moscow then additionally backed pro-Russian armed separatists within the Donbas area of jap Ukraine.
“If every other state, be it Ukraine or Nato nations, believes that Crimea is just not Russian, then this can be a systemic risk for us,” Medvedev informed World Conflict Two veterans, the Interfax information company reported.
“This can be a direct and an express risk, particularly given what had occurred to Crimea. Crimea returned to Russia,” mentioned Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of the Russian Safety Council.
His feedback had been aired a day after a Ukrainian official advised that Crimea, which many of the world nonetheless recognises as a part of Ukraine, could possibly be a goal for US-made HIMARS missiles, not too long ago deployed by Kyiv because it battles Russian forces.
Vadym Skibitskyi, an official at Ukrainian navy intelligence, was requested on Saturday in a televised interview if HIMARS could possibly be used on targets in Crimea.
He mentioned Russia had carried out strikes on Ukrainian territory from Crimea and the Black Sea and so these had been additionally justified targets.
Crimea is of specific strategic significance to Russia because it consists of the headquarters of its Black Sea fleet at Sevastopol.
Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 after a pro-Moscow president in Kyiv was toppled amid mass road protests. Moscow then additionally backed pro-Russian armed separatists within the Donbas area of jap Ukraine.
“If every other state, be it Ukraine or Nato nations, believes that Crimea is just not Russian, then this can be a systemic risk for us,” Medvedev informed World Conflict Two veterans, the Interfax information company reported.
“This can be a direct and an express risk, particularly given what had occurred to Crimea. Crimea returned to Russia,” mentioned Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of the Russian Safety Council.
His feedback had been aired a day after a Ukrainian official advised that Crimea, which many of the world nonetheless recognises as a part of Ukraine, could possibly be a goal for US-made HIMARS missiles, not too long ago deployed by Kyiv because it battles Russian forces.
Vadym Skibitskyi, an official at Ukrainian navy intelligence, was requested on Saturday in a televised interview if HIMARS could possibly be used on targets in Crimea.
He mentioned Russia had carried out strikes on Ukrainian territory from Crimea and the Black Sea and so these had been additionally justified targets.
Crimea is of specific strategic significance to Russia because it consists of the headquarters of its Black Sea fleet at Sevastopol.