Putin vows decisive response to any country threatening Russia 

Russia´s President Vladimir Putin has vowed a decisive response to any country threatening Russia, in particular lashing out at Germany´s agreement to issue export licences for its highly regarded Leopard tanks.

The threats came on the same day EU ministers met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv according to the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet Daily.

Speaking on Friday, February 3 at a ceremony commemorating the Red Army’s victory against Nazi troops 80 years ago in Stalingrad, Putin said: “It’s unbelievable but true. We are again being threatened by German Leopard tanks.”

He added: “We have something to respond with.

“A modern war with Russia will be completely different.”

Zelensky appearing alongside EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen he warned that Russia was preparing for a major offensive and once again reiterated calls for long-range missiles and fighter jets.

Von der Leyen confirmed that the EU is preparing further sanctions against Russia which she hoped would be in place by February 24.

Putin, who is working hard to downplay the effect of sanctions said that Russia is weathering the storm. But von der Leyen disagrees saying sanctions were already “eroding” Russia’s economy, “throwing it back by a generation”.

Saying the energy price cap was costing Russia around €160 million daily she added: “We will introduce with our G7 partners an additional price cap on Russian petroleum products and by the 24th of February — exactly one year since the invasion started — we aim to have the 10th package of sanctions in place.”

Responding to the statement Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed the EU and von der Leyen wanted to destroy Russia´s economy. Echoing statements by Putin he said: “Is this not racism, not Nazism.”

The vow by Putin of a decisive response to any country threatening Russia comes as the battles continue both inside and outside Ukraine, with opposition to Russia´s involvement in the Olympic Games growing.

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