Russia warns retaliation if West ignores demands; says 'we will take care of our security'

Russia may take up unspecified new measures in order to ensure its own security if the United States or its allies continue to take any action that is deemed provocative in nature, said a senior diplomat on Saturday. Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Moscow would respond if its demands for guarantees precluding NATO’s expansion to Ukraine are sidelined. The official even accused the West of continuously pushing the envelope in relations with Russia, and warned that Moscow could also up the ante in retaliation.

As tensions continue to soar in the region, in an interview with Interfax news agency, Ryabkov said of the West, “They have been extending the limits of what’s possible.” 

“But they fail to consider that we will take care of our security and act in a way similar to NATO’s logic and also will start extending the limits of what is possible sooner or late,” Ryabkov said. “We will find all the necessary ways, means and solutions needed to ensure our security.”

Recently, Russia has also demanded stringent limits on the activities of the NATO military alliance in countries in Eastern Europe. BBC stated that Moscow’s demands are unlikely to be met. Even though Russia has refuted reports of Moscow invading Ukraine, Kremlin wants NATO to rule out Kyiv and others to ever join the alliance to diffuse the tensions escalating in the region. Russia has reportedly also asked for urgent talks with the US.

US mulling to send military equipment to Ukraine

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden’s administration is mulling over sending American military equipment to Ukraine that was previously allocated for Afghanistan before the Taliban reconquered the Southeast Asian country, stated Wall Street Journal report on Friday. The report said that Ukrainian officials are calling on the US government to provide the helicopters, including Russia-made Mi-17s and other military equipment that was meant for Afghan National Security Forces which are now defunct since the Taliban's takeover.

Citing both US and Ukrainian officials, the WSJ report stated that Kyiv is calling on Washington to provide air-defence systems such as Stringer surface-to-air missiles. The report has also said that the US could provide Ukraine with at least five Mi-17 helicopters that were used by the Afghan military but were undergoing some maintenance in Eastern Europe. Additionally, Kyiv is also eying the 12 Black Hawk helicopters that too, Washington had allocated for the Afghan military but was never delivered. 

Even the US and NATO’s ammunition stock which is in Romania and Bulgaria could be made available for Ukraine, revealed a US official to WSJ. It is to note that the report came especially when tensions between Russia and Ukraine have escalated with Moscow ramping up its military near the border triggering fears of invasion into Kyiv. However, the White House has been hesitant about sending more arms to Ukraine amid fears that it would further increase tensions with Russia, stated a media outlet citing US government officials and Congress members.

(IMAGE: AP)