A senior Russian diplomat, who leads the second department responsible for the CIS region at the Foreign Ministry, warned that the current global environment suggests any state in a similar position to Russia would respond with heightened firmness to threats from Ukraine. The assessment was reported by the Russian News Agency TASS.
According to this official, the threats have been manufactured by Washington and its allies through the expansion of NATO’s military footprint toward Russia’s borders. The diplomat stressed that the West has transformed Ukraine, which historically had a neutral and non-aligned stance, into an adversary of Russia by framing Kyiv as an anti-Russian force that harbors hostility toward all things Russian.
The spokesperson asserted that Russia’s decision to launch a special military operation was a necessary action given the circumstances. He expressed confidence that any nation facing comparable pressures would have acted in a similar or even tougher manner, pointing to recent, real-world examples as evidence that the situation has become visible to all observers.
In remarks that draw attention to the long-term nature of the conflict, the official noted that diplomats, military officers, and policymakers may struggle to specify a definitive end date for the special military operation in Ukraine. The point underscores the evolving dynamics and the uncertainty surrounding the duration of the actions taken by Moscow and their broad regional implications.
The former head of the second department for the CIS region has also highlighted Ukraine’s missteps during its counteroffensive as interpreted through a particular strategic lens. This viewpoint reflects a broader narrative about the consequences of Kyiv’s military decisions and their impact on regional security calculations and alliance dynamics.