Medvedev says any attempt to "encroach" on Crimea will be seen by Russia as declaration of war

VALENTYNA ROMANENKO — TUESDAY, 28 JUNE 2022, 10:26

Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, has said that attempts to encroach on the Russian-occupied peninsula of Crimea will be seen as a declaration of war on the Russian Federation.

Source: Medvedev in an interview with the Argumenty i fakty [Arguments and Facts] newspaper [Russian publication owned by the Government of Moscow - ed.]

Details: According to a representative of the Russian authorities, the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO "does not threaten Russia with anything particularly new."

Whereas, Ukraine in NATO is "much more dangerous due to the existence of unresolved territorial disputes."

Quote from Medvedev: "For us, Crimea is part of Russia. And it shall be forever. Any attempt to encroach on Crimea is a declaration of war on our country. And if this is done by a NATO member country, it is a conflict with the entire North Atlantic Alliance. World War III. A total catastrophe."

Background: Medvedev has cast doubt on the future of Ukraine, against which Russia is waging its war.

Mykhailo Podoliak, an advisor to the head of the President's Office, said that Ukraine was, is and will be [in existence - ed.], but it is unknown where Medvedev's "little man with huge insecurities" will be in two years.