Kremlin: US Planes Will Be Downed if They Fly over Russian Territory

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov (Reuters)
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov (Reuters)
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Kremlin: US Planes Will Be Downed if They Fly over Russian Territory

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov (Reuters)
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov (Reuters)

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov took advantage of his presence on Wednesday at the World Youth Festival held in Sochi to send messages to the US and European countries through their delegations attending the conference.
In his speech, the presidential spokesperson spoke about several disputing files between Russia and the West, addressing US and EU delegations with phrases such as “We love you, we do not want war.”
He then blamed the policies of the ruling elites in Western countries for the deteriorating relations with Russia and for bringing the two sides to the brink of direct confrontation.
The spokesman then lengthily spoke about the file of US-Russian relations. “America is fighting against us. US tanks are moving through Russian territory. That's not good. They drive up to a point, and then they burn,” he said, hinting at the American-made tanks delivered to Ukraine and which Moscow says had crossed Russian territory.
He added that if American planes fly over Russian territory, the military will make them burn and fall.
“If American planes fly over our territory, I have no doubt that our valiant military will also make these planes burn and fall,” Peskov said.
On the Russian elections that will take place between March 15 and 17, the spokesman said any attempt from abroad to interfere in the presidential election later this month would be prevented.
“We do not dictate to anyone how to live - but we don't want others to dictate to us,” Peskov said.
Addressing the young US delegation at the Festival, Peskov said: “Russia will not interfere in the 2024 US elections. We never dictate how someone should live.”
Despite his strong tone, Peskov spoke about Moscow's readiness to dialogue with the West about accumulated controversial files.
He said Russia did not see Americans as enemies and said that the world's two biggest nuclear powers had special responsibility to ensure global strategic security.
Asked about the threat of nuclear war, Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Russian nuclear weapons can be used only in specific cases.
“Nuclear war is a last resort, a farewell remedy. Therefore, all the arguments about nuclear war, of which there are now a lot in the West – both in European capitals and in the United States – are extremely irresponsible and extremely dangerous because this topic is being routine. It is very dangerous,” he stressed.
Commenting on a leaked conversation between German military officers discussing a potential attack on the Crimean Bridge, Peskov said Moscow does not want war with Germany but it will tolerate plans to blow things up in Russia.
“We don’t want war. We don’t want to blow anything up and we don’t want anyone to plan to blow things up here. We will not turn a blind eye to that,” he said.
In a related development, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a news briefing on the sidelines of the World Youth Festival that if US nuclear weapons were deployed to Northern Europe, the security of the countries hosting these weapons will by no means get stronger, but on the contrary be harmed.
She said the facilities in Northern Europe hosting US nuclear weapons will be included in the list of legitimate military targets under a scenario of a direct military clash between Russia and NATO.

“One does not have to be a military strategist to realize that such facilities will represent a source of direct threat and, naturally, will inevitably be included in the list of legitimate targets under a scenario of a direct military clash between our country and NATO,” Zakharova said.

 

 



Iran's President Says Tehran Has to Deal with Washington

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks to community members, academic figures, tribal sheikhs and officials during his visit, in Basra, Iraq, September 13, 2024. (Reuters)
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks to community members, academic figures, tribal sheikhs and officials during his visit, in Basra, Iraq, September 13, 2024. (Reuters)
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Iran's President Says Tehran Has to Deal with Washington

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks to community members, academic figures, tribal sheikhs and officials during his visit, in Basra, Iraq, September 13, 2024. (Reuters)
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks to community members, academic figures, tribal sheikhs and officials during his visit, in Basra, Iraq, September 13, 2024. (Reuters)

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran will not be able to ignore its arch-foe the United States and needs to "handle its enemies with forbearance", state media reported on Tuesday, a week after Donald Trump won the US presidential election.

"Whether we like it or not, we will have to deal with the US in the regional and international arenas, so it is better to manage this relation ourselves," Pezeshkian, who is viewed as relatively moderate, said.

"We have to treat our friends with generosity and handle our enemies with forbearance."

In 2018, then-President Trump ditched Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and re-imposed harsh sanctions as part of his "maximum pressure" policy against Iran.

While there have been no reports that the Trump administration plans to hold talks with Tehran after it takes office in January, the President-elect said during his election campaign "I don't want to do damage to Iran but they cannot have nuclear weapons."

Indirect talks between Washington and Tehran to revive the nuclear deal were initiated under the administration of US President Joe Biden, but failed. Iran is still formally part of the deal but has scaled back commitments to honor it due to US sanctions re-imposed on Iran.

Earlier on Tuesday, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said Iran will pursue whatever secures its interest, when asked if there could be direct talks with the Trump administration.

She cautioned that the final decision for talks rests with the top political figure Ali Khamenei and the Supreme National Security Council.

"The maximum pressure campaign of Trump has failed, even if people have been burdened by it. What is important will be actions and not words, but we recommend Trump to take into account the failure of his past policies," Mohajerani added.