Russia warns the United States that it has the capability to put superpowers in “their place” with a terrifying threat

On Thursday, March 17, the country’s former president warned the US that it had the power to put the world’s preeminent superpower in its place and accused the West of fomenting a wild Russophobic plot to tear Russia apart. It comes as Russian troops’ invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, has come to a “halt.” Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s president from 2008 to 2012 and deputy secretary-general of the Security Council, said the US had unleashed “disgusting” Russophobia in an attempt to bring Russia to its knees.

“It will not work – Russia has the might to put all of our brash enemies in their place,” he warned.

In his first Telegram post, Mr Medvedev also stated, “The West’s flagrant hatred of Russia will apparently never reach rock bottom.”

“NATO’s expansion towards our borders, an all-out economic and information war against our country, non-stop threats and intimidation attempts, and the fierce persecution of our citizens overseas are the causes of the world’s extreme rise in international tensions.”

Prior to Mr. Medvedev’s remarks, Putin stated in a televised speech that the West is attempting to divide Russia through lies.

He also accused the West of attempting to incite civil war with the goal of “destroying Russia.”

Putin also slammed citizens he called “scum and traitors,” claiming they were being used as a “fifth column” to destroy Russia.

“Of course, they’ll try to bet on the so-called fifth column, on traitors – on those who earn their money here but live over there,” he said.

“Live, not in the geographical sense, but in the sense of their slavish thinking.”

Joe Biden toughened his rhetoric against the invading forces on Wednesday, March 16, labelling Putin a “war criminal.”

A reporter at the White House asked the US President if he would call his Russian counterpart the term, with which Mr Biden previously disagreed.

He quickly returned to the reporter, however, and said, “Did you ask me if I would tell….?” Oh, I believe he’s a war criminal.”

Later, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the US President was speaking from the heart after seeing “barbaric” images of the violence in Ukraine, but he was not making any official declaration.

She then stated that there was a separate legal process run by the State Department to determine war crimes, and that one was still ongoing.

The Kremlin reacted angrily to Mr. Biden’s remarks, calling them “unacceptable and unforgivable rhetoric.”

According to Russian state news agency TASS, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “We believe such rhetoric is unacceptable and unforgivable from the head of a state whose bombs have killed hundreds of thousands of people around the world.”

It comes as the UK imposed asset freezes and travel bans on Mr. Medvedev and Mr. Peskov, among others.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss stated that the United Kingdom was “going further and faster than ever in hitting those closest to Putin.”

“We are holding them accountable for their complicity in Russia’s crimes in Ukraine,” she said.

It also comes after President Volodymyr Zelensky told Western leaders that stronger sanctions and western military intervention against Putin are required as Russian shelling of Ukrainian cities continues to claim lives.

Mr Zelensky said in a video call with Boris Johnson that “we can still stop the Russian war machine,” and that it was critical to do so because otherwise “they will come for you.”

On Wednesday, Mr Zelensky addressed the US Congress, urging the US to tighten sanctions against Russia and to assist Ukraine in defending itself against Russian aerial bombardment, including the imposition of a no-fly zone.

“Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky into a source of death for thousands of people,” he said. I must protect our sky. “I require your assistance.”