Dmitry Mededev, a close ally of Vladimir Putin, once again needled US President Donald Trump during an extraordinary rant in which he bragged: “Russia has weapons a bomb shelter won’t protect against”. The deputy head of the Russian Security Council, himself a former Russian President, angered Mr Trump earlier this year with his incendiary rhetoric.
Earlier this year the billionaire ordered the repositioning of two US nuclear submarines to “appropriate regions,” stating that Medvedev’s remarks had entered “very dangerous territory” and warning him to “watch his words.” However, in remarks reported on Russian Telegram channel Vestiru 24, Medvedev, also a former Russian Prime Minister, appeared to be completely unrepentant. Referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, he declared:”The Kyiv junkie claimed the Kremlin needs to know where the bomb shelter is so they can hide when he uses long-range American weapons.
“The jerk needs to know something else: Russia could use weapons that a bomb shelter won’t protect against.
“And the Americans should remember that.”
Medvedev, has frequently employed nuclear rhetoric to underscore Russia’s stance in its conflict with Ukraine and its broader geopolitical confrontations with the West.
In January 2023, he warned that a defeat of Russia in Ukraine could trigger a nuclear war, stating, “nuclear powers don’t lose major wars,” and advised NATO to consider the risks of their policies.
Later that year, in July, Medvedev asserted that Moscow would be compelled to use nuclear weapons if Ukraine’s counteroffensive succeeded, emphasising that such a scenario would necessitate adherence to Russia’s nuclear doctrine.
Medvedev’s threats have extended beyond Ukraine. In February 2023, he claimed that the West’s continued supply of arms to Kyiv risked a global nuclear catastrophe, reiterating his threat of nuclear war over Ukraine.
Additionally, in May 2024, he warned that Western leaders in Washington, Paris, and London would not “be able to hide” if they sent troops to Ukraine, suggesting potential nuclear retaliation.
Such statements have been widely interpreted as attempts to deter further Western involvement in the conflict and to assert Russia’s readiness to escalate to nuclear warfare if provoked.
