MOSCOW, July 17 (Reuters) – The refusal of Ukraine and NATO powers to recognise Moscow’s authority over Crimea represents a “systemic threat” for Russia, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said on Sunday.
Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 after a pro-Moscow president in Kyiv was toppled amid mass street protests. Moscow then also backed pro-Russian armed separatists in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.
“If any other state, be it Ukraine or NATO countries, believes that Crimea is not Russian, then this is a systemic threat for us,” Medvedev told World War Two veterans, the Interfax news agency reported.
“This is a direct and an explicit threat, especially given what had happened to Crimea. Crimea returned to Russia,” said Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council.
His comments were aired a day after a Ukrainian official suggested that Crimea, which most of the world still recognises as part of Ukraine, could be a target for U.S.-made HIMARS missiles, recently deployed by Kyiv as it battles Russian forces.
Vadym Skibitskyi, an official at Ukrainian military intelligence, was asked on Saturday in a televised interview if HIMARS could be used on targets in Crimea.
He said Russia had carried out strikes on Ukrainian territory from Crimea and the Black Sea and so these were also justified targets.
Crimea is of particular strategic importance to Russia as it includes the headquarters of its Black Sea fleet at Sevastopol.
ukrainetoday.org 
“If any other state, be it Ukraine or NATO countries, believes that Crimea is not Russian, then this is a systemic threat for us,”
Have you relayed this messaged to your so called allies in Brics, none of them recognise Crimea as Russian either?
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The word is out that Ukraine will take Kherson back and there’s not enough to stop them from continuing into Crimea and Sevastopol. Since nobody will agree to their temporary advances this leaves them in the usual whining mode.
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It will be another act of good will by the orcs, when they are chased out of Kherson all the way to the Kerch bridge, only to find it has been blown up.
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Bhaaaaaaahaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaa!
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It’s not a long swim.
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He’s teeing himself up for yet another nuclear threat.
Ukraine intends to take all its land back from the putinazis. (Assuming that the allies can get their shit together and provide the necessary help). It has no other choice; as Gen Zaluzhnyi has already clearly explained. He also confirms that the Kerch bridge will be destroyed.
Biden’s military advisors need to point out to him that for once they need to be pro-active and make some very clear threats of their own as to what action will be taken if putler uses tactical nukes.
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Didn’t this fool want to kill himself not so long ago? He should try it again. His brain is already dead.
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Podoliak gave a great reply to the seat warmer.
“The portrait of modern Russia – Dmitry Medvedev, who threatens someone with “Judgment Day”. Small person forgotten by history, who tries to seem serious and scary, but in reality causes only pity. “Just a little more and I will show you all!”. Show what? Murder one more child?”
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True words!
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“Crimea is of particular strategic importance to Russia as it includes the headquarters of its Black Sea fleet at Sevastopol.”
It won’t be strategic when we bomb the living daylights out of your Black Sea fleet you scum sucking cockroach
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The Orcs better move their fleet HQ somewhere else very soon.
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