Deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov made ominous comparison to Cuba
Russia won't compromise on guarantee that Kiev won't join NATO, he said
Ryabkov said Moscow won't tolerate NATO deploying missiles in eastern Europe
Warning comes as fresh drills with 1,000 troops were staged in western Russia
The world is heading for a new Cuban missile crisis in Ukraine if the West fails to deal with Russia's security demands 'here and now', Moscow said today.
This came amid a new round of major military exercises by Vladimir Putin's troops in an evident bid to warn NATO of the seriousness of the situation ahead of the New Year.
Videos showed the latest Russian drills - some close to Ukraine - amid fears Putin will invade if the West fails to meet his demands.
Hawkish deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov denied he was exaggerating in comparing the current crisis to the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.
'No, not too much,' he said in an interview with Mezhdunarodnaya Zhizn magazine when asked if his comparison was 'too much.'
There are fears a war could erupt between Russia and Western-ally Ukraine in the coming weeks.
+16Exercises in Russia's western military district involved drills to repel a massive air strike by a simulated enemy on strategic facilities of the district, according to TV Zvezda, owned by the defence ministry. Around 1,000 servicemen took part in the war games which included 'repulsing an attack by enemy reconnaissance and sabotage groups' (pictured: tanks taking part in the war games)
+16A soldier fires a missile during Vladimir Putin's most recent wargames amid tensions with Ukraine
Ukraine trolls Putin for his 'real fears' of allowing 'human rights, press freedom and free elections'
Ukraine's official Twitter account has trolled Vladimir Putin over his 'real fears' of 'human rights, press freedom and free elections'.
In the meme shared online, Ukraine compares itself and NATO to a timid dog compared to the wild beasts of Putin's genuine enemies.
+16Ukraine's official Twitter account has trolled Vladimir Putin over his 'real fears' of 'human rights, press freedom and free elections'
Ryabkov appeared to rule out a Russian compromise on seeking cast-iron guarantees that Ukraine would not join NATO, and promises not to deploy strike weapons in eastern European countries which are members of the western alliance.
'I call on everyone considering this topic publicly to think whether it is shameful for Russia to meet Western ultimatum demands halfway,' he said.
And he made clear that 'if we cannot do it [through diplomacy], then open questions will emerge: what are further steps and what should we do?
'We are against escalation, we are against conflicts, we do not draw lines in the sand, just the logic itself leads us to say that we are not ready to make peace with the current situation.'
He warned: 'We can no longer postpone, let's deal with this serious issue … here and now.'
He insisted: 'We must put an end to the expansion of NATO, NATO infrastructure, NATO capabilities further east.
'We must exclude Ukraine from joining NATO.'
His words amplified Putin's insistence on Russian TV that 'I want everyone to realise, both in our country and abroad, I want our partners to understand one thing…
'It's not that we don't want anyone to cross a certain line.
'It's that we have nowhere to retreat now.
'They have pressed us against such a line… we have nowhere to go…
'Like I said, they will deliver missile systems to Ukraine, four to five minutes flying time to Moscow.
'Well, where shall we move now?
'It's just that they've brought us to the state where we must tell them: 'Stop!' That's what it is'.'
Exercises in Russia's western military district involved drills to repel a massive air strike by a simulated enemy on strategic facilities of the district, according to TV Zvezda, owned by the defence ministry.
Around 1,000 servicemen took part in the war games which included 'repulsing an attack by enemy reconnaissance and sabotage groups'.
Weapons deployed were modern anti-aircraft missile systems S-300V, Tor-M2 and portable anti-aircraft missile systems Igla, said reports.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10347199/The-West-facing-new-Cuban-missile-crisis-unless-caves-Putin-Moscow-warns.html
