MOSCOW: The Vladimir Putin government in Russia is said to be planning amajor retaliation against the United States, a week after the Trump orderedfresh sanctions against Russia escalating tensions between the two nuclearpowered-states.
According to the Sunday Express, sources in Kremlin have confirmedRussia is working on retaliatory measures to hit back at the TrumpAdministration for announcing the fresh sanctions against Moscow.
Earlier this month, the Trump Administration had added 38 Russianentrepreneurs, senior officials and firms to its sanctions list as part ofits effort to crackdown on the country’s “malign activity” taking placeacross the globe.
”I will not announce anything, we are working on that, ” RussianTransport Minister Maxim Sokolov was quoted as saying.
In the aftermath of the US announcement, a firm response to the White Housefrom the Putin government was already anticipated and a bill outlining thepotential reactionary measures was presented to the Russian Parliamentearlier this week.
The Bill considered measures such as banning imports of US agricultural,alcoholic, and tobacco products as well as medical drugs. But after RussianTransport Minister Sokolov’s announcement, it is almost clear that theRussians are indeed planning a tough response to the US.
All this comes at a time when the relations between Washington DC andMoscow have reached the lowest levels after the suspected poisoning ofex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal on the UK soil.
Russian state television has, meanwhile, cautioned the citizens of thecountry to prepare for World War III, the US has, without mincing words,declared that it is “locked and loaded” to strike Syria again if PresidentBashar Assad’s regime continues using chemical weapons and poisonous gas inthe war-torn country.
The statement issuing World War III warning appeared on Russian state mediaafter the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) rejected a resolution byRussia calling for condemnation of “aggression” by the United States,United Kingdom and France against Syria.