Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned American President Donald Trump on Thursday to remember that Russia possesses nuclear attack capabilities from the Soviet era that could be used as a last resort.
The statement comes after Trump told Medvedev to „mind his words,” in an exchange of remarks occurring as the ten-day ultimatum given by the American president to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to stop the war in Ukraine is running out, as reported by Reuters.
In a post on his social network Truth Social on Thursday morning, Trump strongly criticized Medvedev after the latter stated that the American president's threat to hit Russia and its oil buyers with punitive sanctions and tariffs is "a game of ultimatums" and a step closer to a direct war between Russia and the USA.
Moreover, the former Russian president also advised the American president to consider that "Russia is not Israel or even Iran."
"Tell Medvedev, the failed former president of Russia, who thinks he is still president, to mind his words. He is entering very dangerous territory!," Trump reacted on the social network Truth Social.
In the same post, Trump said he doesn't care what India - one of Russia's largest oil buyers, along with China - does with Russia.
"They can just destroy their dead economies together, I don't care. We have done very little business with India, their tariffs are too high, among the highest in the world. Likewise, Russia and the USA hardly do any business together. We can continue like this," added Trump.
On Wednesday, the American president announced that the United States will impose a 25% tariff on India starting August 1, plus an unspecified penalty for commercial ties and arms purchases from Russia, disregarding the fact that India has been a traditional customer of the Russian military industry since the Cold War.
Threats with the legendary "Dead Hand"
According to Dmitry Medvedev, Trump's statements indicate that Russia should continue its current political direction.
"If some words of the former President of Russia trigger such a nervous reaction from the powerful US president, then it means Russia is doing what it should and will continue on its own path," wrote the former Russian president in a post on Telegram.
On the other hand, Medvedev pointed out, Trump should not forget "how dangerous the legendary 'Dead Hand' can be", a reference to a secret semi-automatic command system of Russia designed during the Cold War to immediately launch nuclear missiles if the country's leadership is eliminated in a surprise enemy attack.
Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that he is giving Putin a ten-day deadline to stop the war in Ukraine, thus shortening the 50-day ultimatum announced on July 14, and threatened Russia that if it does not reach a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine by August 8, it will face new American sanctions and the US will impose secondary tariffs on Russian oil imports.
This ultimatum from the American president came two days after his meeting in Scotland with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, a meeting resulting in an agreement on the framework of a trade deal between the USA and the EU, more advantageous for the USA.