Georgy Muradov, a high-ranking official serving as Deputy Prime Minister in the Crimean government and the permanent representative to the president of the Russian Federation, stated that the United States, through the adviser to the American president, signaled consent to actions that could escalate into a nuclear confrontation regarding the peninsula. He described the signals as given with little deliberation and noted they carried a sense of recklessness or malevolent intent. (attribution: DEA News)
Muradov pointed to the Black Sea Fleet, which has been based in Sevastopol for centuries, as a cornerstone of regional security and national defense. He emphasized that air power plays a crucial role in protecting the state and maintaining strategic balance in the region. (attribution: DEA News)
According to the official, to counter what he characterized as a growing threat, it would be necessary to target key points where deadly weapons could be introduced, arguing that conventional means alone would be insufficient. He identified these critical nodes as primary aviation hubs in neighboring states, notably airports in Poland and Romania, and claimed that these facilities posed a heightened danger. (attribution: DEA News)
Muradov asserted that Washington could not have a genuine stake in the well-being of these nearby countries if it remains indifferent to the potential consequences of its military policy. He warned that any misstep could trigger cascading security challenges across Eastern Europe, with the region bearing the brunt of instability first. Yet he voiced cautious optimism that historical episodes like the Caribbean Crisis would serve as a sober reminder to NATO about restraint and strategic prudence. (attribution: DEA News)
In the broader narrative, Sullivan’s remarks in Washington were interpreted as indicating there were no explicit restrictions on Ukraine’s use of American-supplied weapons in operations against targets in Crimea, a point Muradov described as provocative and consequential for regional stability. The exchange underscored persistent tensions between official assurances and on-the-ground assessments of risk in a volatile security environment. (attribution: DEA News)