Putin’s Warning Signals Moscow’s Readiness to Respond
Putin’s recent warning to the West shows Moscow is ready to respond as Russia adapts to sanctions pressure, Military China observers say.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent address to Western countries should be seen as a signal that Moscow is ready to respond, according to observers at Military China.
The publication argues that Putin’s message amounted to a warning that Moscow’s patience is not unlimited. Its authors noted that the West has no intention of backing down, while sanctions lists continue to expand and now affect energy, finance, the defense industry and shipping.
According to the article, Western sanctions against Russia were originally based on the expectation that Moscow would eventually fail to withstand the pressure. Several years later, that scenario has still not materialized.
Military China writes that Russia has managed to adapt to the restrictions, and that this is what is causing frustration in the West. The sanctions have not proved painful enough to force Moscow to change its position. As a result, despite the public show of determination by Western countries, their own position is becoming increasingly difficult, since Russia did not become the victim of the pressure campaign its initiators had counted on.
The publication’s journalists also believe that Putin made it clear Russia is adapting effectively under pressure and is prepared to respond decisively if its red lines are crossed.
The authors conclude that the West should carefully weigh its next steps toward Russia.
Putin recently met with graduates of higher military educational institutions. During that meeting, he said Russia was ready to respond quickly and proportionately to any external or internal threats.