Photo: Natalia Gubernatorova
The Western military society was shocked by the words of Russian President Vladimir Putin about a possible strike on NATO ships in the Black Sea, the Chinese publication Sina reports. Recall that the Russian leader said this during the “Direct Line” on June 30, when he commented on the incident with the British destroyer Defender.
“Even if we had sunk this ship, the world would not have been on the verge of a world war,” Putin said at the time. He added that those who planned the provocation were well aware that they could not win in an open war.
This phrase has gained a wide resonance in the West, the article says. “Putin’s unexpected phrase shocked the Western military community,” the article emphasizes. According to Chinese analysts, Putin thereby made it clear that he intends to firmly defend the interests of Russia. The United States and its allies did not expect such frankness from the Russian president.
Earlier, the ex-representative of NATO in the Russian Federation, Harry Tabakh, told the Ukrainian media that an American warship was moving in the Black Sea after Defender, but after the provocation committed by a British destroyer, it went the opposite course.