Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has issued a threat towards Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, labeling him a derogatory term and suggesting that he will need to go into hiding indefinitely. This incident follows Russia’s claim that Ukraine conducted a drone attack on one of President Vladimir Putin’s official residences in the Novgorod region on December 29. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who made the allegation, did not provide any evidence to support it. Zelensky has dismissed the report as false information and has raised concerns that Russia may be preparing to target government buildings in Ukraine.
Medvedev, who currently serves as the deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, is known for making aggressive and offensive comments on social media. He accused Zelensky of obstructing conflict resolution efforts as peace negotiations facilitated by the US progress. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha emphasized that Russia has failed to present credible evidence to back its claims. He stated that Moscow is unwilling to do so because the alleged attack never occurred.
The conflicting assertions have jeopardized peace initiatives. US President Donald Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the situation after being informed by Putin about the purported attack during a phone call. The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, observed that the Kremlin has been attempting to prolong peace talks since Trump initiated diplomatic efforts earlier in the year to end the conflict.
In separate messages on Telegram, Medvedev insinuated that Zelensky’s fate should involve being showcased in St. Petersburg after his alleged demise. Medvedev’s persistent criticisms of the West were met with a strong response from Trump in August, following Medvedev’s remarks about Trump’s approach towards Russia. Trump emphasized the significance of words and announced the deployment of two nuclear submarines to strategic locations in response.
Recently, Russia’s Defense Ministry declared that its nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system has been deployed in Belarus. The ministry shared a video demonstrating combat vehicles from the mobile intermediate-range ballistic missile system undergoing combat training in a forest. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko previously announced that the Oreshnik had arrived in the country and revealed plans to station up to 10 such missile systems in Belarus. Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier stated that the Oreshnik would become operational before the end of the year.